Fresh gluten-free pasta (using a pasta maker)

I love pasta.

Turns out, our favourite organic bean pasta is made in China. Rice and quinoa pastas are OK but let's face it... there's nothing better than fresh pasta, especially ravioli. Ravioli is the ultimate goal.

Ever since I bought a pasta maker a few months ago, I've been obsessed with making pasta. After many unsuccessful attempts (with and without a machine), I finally found a gluten-free recipe that makes great tagliatelle in a roller. I'm confident this will also produce the perfect ravioli dough (stay tuned).

It only takes a few minutes to make the dough and I LOVE LOVE LOVE running the dough through the machine. I find it therapeutic. I could roll pasta all day. Don't worry, it took me less than half an hour to roll and cut the tagliatelle. The instructions seem long, but once you get the hang of it, the whole process takes about an hour- including the half-hour break you get while the dough is resting.

This video shows you how to make the gluten-free dough using a food processor.

I didn't use a food processor, I simply mixed it by hand in a bowl. I was too lazy to mess up the machine. I must also confess, I was attracted to this recipe because I had all the flours on hand. Also, many recipes call for additional egg yolks and I haven't yet mastered the technique of separating eggs.

If you are sensitive to xanthan gum (and know how to separate eggs), this recipe from Glutenfreegirl.com may be a better bet. She also provides good step-by-step instructions.


Ingredients

• ½ Cup Gluten-Free Brown Rice Flour
• ½ Cup Gluten-Free White Rice Flour
• 1/3 Cup Gluten-Free Sorghum Flour (or Gluten-Free Millet Flour)
• 2/3 Cup Tapioca Flour
• ¼ Cup Potato Starch
• 1 TBL. Xanthan Gum
• 1 tsp. Salt
• Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• 3 Large eggs (maybe 4 if your "large" organic eggs aren't that large)
• 2 TBL. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TBS water

Instructions

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl (you can also use a clean countertop)
2. Create a well in the middle of the bowl
3. Whisk eggs and olive oil in a separate bowl. Pour egg mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients (If you are lazy like me, you can put the eggs and oil directly into the well instead of using s separate bowl for whisking).
4. Mix all of the ingredients together. Add the water 1 TB at a time.
5. The dough should have the consistency of Play Dough. If you add too much water and the dough is very sticky, add a little bit more flour. If the dough is too dry, add a little bit more water. [Note: After a few tries resulting in very dry dough, I realized that my "large" eggs are pretty small. I now use 4 of them and a little less water].
6. Knead the dough for a few minutes
7. Divide the dough into 4-6 balls. Wrap them up or cover them so they don't dry out. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
8. Roll out and cut your pasta. While the recipe isn't gluten-free, this is a great demostration of how to make your pasta using a pasta roller. If you don't have a pasta roller, use a rolling pin to make the dough as thin as possible. Use a pizza or ravioli cutter to cut the dough into strips by hand.
9. After your pasta is rolled and cut, add it to a pot of boiling water. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes or until done. Do not over cook the pasta otherwise it will be gummy and stick together.
10. Add your favourite sauce and enjoy! I love it with Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce.

Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce (Yum!)

I've mentioned in previous posts how much I love pizza and pasta. In fact, I like my pizza dripping in tomato sauce. People who have witnessed this, find my preference quite disgusting. No one will share pizza with me and that's just fine.

This recipe from asweetpeachef.com is perfect on pastas, pizza and tempeh testicles. The roasted veggies make the sauce deliciously creamy with a depth of flavour you won't find in a regular tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• 10-11 beefsteak tomatoes, cut in quarters (or use a few more roma tomatoes, cut in half)
• 5-6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1-2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 medium carrots, unpeeled and chopped into large pieces
• 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 8 basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 tbsp. olive oil (instead of unsalted butter)
• 1/4 tsp. maple syrup The roasted veggies are quite sweet. You may want to leave the maple syrup/sugar out)
• 2-3 clove garlic, unroasted (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet (with sides at least 1-inch deep) with parchment paper. Lay out the tomato halves (skin-side down), onion, garlic and carrot and sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Try to make this only one layer to allow for maximum roasting. Drizzle olive oil all over.
3. Bake for 60 – 75 minutes, or until the edges of the tomatoes and onions begin to turn black. (After about 45 minutes, check on the veggies. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, the veggies will not crisp. Carefully dump some of the liquid out.  If the veggies are burning, take them out or turn them over. At this point, you may need to take out the garlic so it doesn't burn. Use your judgment).
4. Carefully transfer the roasted contents to a food processor or blender, add the basil leaves and pulse until smooth. Add your unroasted clove of garlic now for a little extra garlic kick.
5. Transfer the pureed contents to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add thyme, olive oil, maple syrup and more salt and pepper, to taste. I sometimes like to add 1 chopped green onion, chilis, and more fresh basil for extra flavour.

Pour over your favourite pasta, like this fresh, gluten-free tagliatelle!

Ultimate Black Bean Brownies (You REALLY can't taste the beans!)

I don't like black beans and neither does my toddler.  I was skeptical. Vegan, gluten-free brownies made with black beans and flax seeds? How can these be good? 

I admit, I wasn't convinced after they just came out of the oven. They were good, but not necessarily worth posting on my blog.  Then I put them away for the night in the refrigerator and... YUM! Straight from the refrigerator, they are sweet, creamy, fudgy and delicious. You can't taste the black beans at all. They take under 10 minutes to prepare. I'm a big fan.

Here is the recipe from MinimalistBaker with beautiful pictures.

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can (~ 1 3/4 cups) black beans, well rinsed and drained
• 2 large flax eggs (2.5 T flaxseed meal + 6 T water)
• 3 T coconut oil, melted (or sub other oil of choice)
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (I generally substitute cocoa for carob powder but wasn't convinced it would work in this recipe. I will try carob next time)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• heaping 1/2 cup raw sugar, slightly ground or pulsed in a food processor or coffee grinder for refined texture (I used coconut sugar, finely ground)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Optional toppings: crush walnuts, pecans or semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 12-slot standard size muffin pan (not mini).
3. Prepare flax egg by combining flax and water in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse a couple times and then let rest for a few minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients (besides walnuts or other toppings) and puree – about 3 minutes – scraping down sides as needed. You want it pretty smooth.
5. If the batter appears too thick, add a Tbsp or two of water and pulse again. It should be slightly less thick than chocolate frosting but nowhere close to runny.
6. Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin and smooth the tops with a spoon or your finger.
7. Optional: Sprinkle with crushed walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips.
8. Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides. 25 minutes worked for me. Don't bother to use a toothpick, it won't come out clean.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgy, so don’t be concerned if they seem too moist – that’s the point. Plus, they’re vegan so it doesn’t really matter.
10. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 140 calories Fat: 6 g Carbohydrates: 22 g Sugar: 9 g Sodium: 163 mg Fiber: 7 h Protein: 5 g

Gluten-free Ginger Spice Cookies

This fast, easy and delicious recipe was adapted from Roben Ryberg's recipe in her Gluten-Free Kitchen cookbook. I usually have all the ingredients on hand which makes it even more appealing. If you like ginger, you will be happy you tried it!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 cup sorghum flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with coconut oil.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oil and sugar. Mix well.
3. Add the flour and mix well.
4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. The dough should look like traditional cookie dough.
5. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto the prepared pan. Lightly press the dough balls with a fork to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.
6. Bake for 8 minutes until they brown at the edges. They will crisp more as they cool.

Notes:

• The original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of ginger and suggests leaving the vanilla out for more "bite". I much prefer 2 tablespoons, WITH vanilla. Adjust to your own preference for ginger.
• The original recipe calls for brown sugar which is usually refined. I don't keep it around. I mention it because not everyone has coconut sugar and others choose not to use it for sustainability reasons. I ran out of coconut sugar when trying to double the recipe this week and used part maple flakes ---  delicious. You could probably use all maple flakes if brown sugar and coconut sugar don't work for you.
• The first time I made the recipe, I forgot the xanthan gum. They came out much chewier but tasted great. As I always say, if you are sensitive to xanthan gum, leave it out.
• On a whim in San Francisco a few years ago, I bought Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice. I just finished it on this last batch of ginger cookies! What now? I might try this simple recipe or another one next time.

Chocolate Hazelnut Pancakes (Gluten Free)

These are my favourite pancakes! I'm not sure how this local, organic, gluten free pancake mix from Cuisine l'Angelique ended up in my kitchen cupboard but I'm glad it did. I'm sure you can make your own blend or find something similar in a store (l'Angelique is made with a blend of brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth flours; tapioca starch, ground flax seeds, baking powder no alum, sea salt).

The following recipe was included in the box and intended for a serving of two waffles. I make a few little pancakes instead or double/triple the recipe to serve a toddler and two adults.

• 5 tablespoons of Cuisine l'Angelique pancake and waffle mix
• 3 tsp of cocoa (I use carob powder)
• 1 tablespoon of ground hazelnuts (I keep these in the fridge and grind them in a coffee grider)

Mix all of the ingredients together. Then add the following:

• 2 tsp of maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons of almond milk
• 1 large organic egg
• 1 tsp. of olive oil
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Using a whisk, mix all ingredients together. Let stand for 15 minutes. Heat your cast iron skillet on low-medium heat and throw in some coconut oil.  Spoon in pancake mix and cook for a few minutes on each side.

Zucchini Bread

Here's a delicious way to add extra vegetables to your toddler's diet. This was a big hit for the adults in the house too. Zucchini bread can be served as a snack or as a side dish--- I indexed it as a side since I already have a lot of desserts on the blog!

I swapped the agave for maple syrup and used coconut instead of olive oil but otherwise followed the original recipe from Fit and Fab Life.

Ingredients

• 3 zucchinis, shredded. (Make sure they are well drained/dry as possible)
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed mixed with 5 tablespoons of water in a separate small bowl (this is your “eggs”)
• 1 1/2 cups of Gluten free flour
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (It's sweet. You can get away with less if you want)
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

(Optional ingredients include: Raisins, Walnuts, Chocolate chips…get creative!!)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F
2. In very small bowl, mix flax sees and water in bowl and set aside so it gets thicker and kind of “goopy”
3. Next, in large bowl, mix olive oil, vanilla, cinnamon, agave, “egg” mixture, salt and shredded zucchini into bowl. Mix well.
4. Then add flour, baking soda and baking powder into same bowl and mix until all ingredients are wet.
5. Coat baking pan with olive oil (i used a mini loaf pan), and pour mixture in and bake for about 20-30 min depending on how big the pan is. Bake till a toothpick or knife comes out clean without mixture on it.

Note: My toothpick came out dry after about 25 minutes. Shortly after the pan was taken out of the oven, the loaves drooped. When I cut into it, it seemed uncooked. I put it back in the oven for another 8-10 minutes and all was fine. Maybe it was the coconut oil? I will use olive oil next time and less sweetener too.

Mini veggie frittatas (toddler approved!)

My little one used to eat anything I put on her plate. It was a good run. As she approaches 2.5, she's becoming a lot pickier with her vegetables. I need to find ways to sneak in more veg. (Note: I always tell her about the "hidden" vegetables and still serve whole vegetables for her to eat).            

As I searched for inspiration, I found a number of frittata recipes that I thought could work with a little modification--- most recipes contain lots of cheese, many have cow's milk, ham/bacon and flour.

If you don't spend much time in the kitchen and need a precise recipe, this post is not for you. I am sharing an approximate version of what I made along with one recipe that I used for inspiration. Martha Stewart recommended minis as an appetizer (great idea) and posted a beautiful picture of what they look like. Surprisingly, mine weren't so far off!

Great finger food, no morning mess. My daughter ate at least 10 of these. I've never made frittata before and am not much of an egg eater - I thought these were delicious too!

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1.5 cups of grated or chopped veggies (carrots, cauliflower, sweet potato - whatever you have on hand)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (+ some to grease the pan)
• 1 large handful of fresh herbs, chopped (I used basil and rosemary from my garden)
• 4 organic eggs
• 2-3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F  (you can probably bake at 400F for less time)
2. Grease a mini muffin pan with olive oil  (24 mini muffins). Warning: even though I used a non-stick pan and greased well, they still stuck a little)
3. Saute the onion with olive oil until translucent (about 1 tbsp oil)
4. Add the grated veggies and cook until soft 
5. In a high speed blender, puree the onions, veggies and herbs with the almond milk (they don't need to be pureed. It was a last minute decision for me- a way to hide the veggies)
6. Add eggs to the blender - a few seconds in a Vitamix should do.  Ideally, you would lightly beat the eggs with a whisk and mix in the rest of your ingredients. I was too lazy).
7. Add remaining olive oil, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper -  give it a quick blend
8. Spoon the whole mixture into the muffin tray, filling to the rim
9. Bake for about 15 minutes. Broil for 5 to get it a little crispy on top
10. Remove the mini frittatas and serve.