After quite the long hiatus, I have gotten my proverbial shit together, and I should be back posting yummies several times a week. Sorry to those who had been checking for something new and were disappointed by this lazy Lucy…Please forgive and continue to visit 🙂
Cupboard Tip Board: Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is a great gluten and starch-free alternative to grain flours. It has a light fragrant nutty flavor and is very hearty. There is one caveat when using coconut flour, however. It can be a moisture vacuum. I would use this unique flour at a ratio of 1:4 versus regular grain-based flours, as it will suck up the moisture of any batter mixture at a rate you will not believe….
Posted in GF Baking, The Cupboard Tip Board
Cauliflower Fritters
This is a new twist on an old favorite of mine: potato latkes. The meaty cauliflower and spicy red pepper and herbs make these a crowd pleaser with less guilt!
One head cauliflower
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped dill
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
Two eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 red or cayenne pepper
2 cups oil
Rough chop the cauliflower and place in a pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash the cauliflower until it is the texture of roughly mashed potatoes. Add in the spices and herbs and mix well. When the cauliflower is cooled a bit (so as not to scramble the eggs), add the eggs and the almond flour. Mix well. If the batter is too light or too dry, add either more egg or more flour depending.
Heat one cup of oil in a cast iron skillet (or a deep frying pan), and when hot, drop heaping tablespoon sized spoons of the cauliflower mixture into the oil, flattening a little bit with the back of the spoon. Turn when the edges are a deep golden brown. Continue with the remaining batter, and replace the oil if needed.
You can make the batter ahead of time if you need to, and if you are entertaining, you can make the fritters as much as an hour ahead of time and simply place them on a baking sheet in the oven set to warm. Sprinkle with some extra herbs and cayenne before serving…
Posted in Smalls
Mean Bean Salad
Mean Bean Salad
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 avocado, diced
2 red/orange bell peppers, diced very small (same size as the beans/corn)
1-2 tomatoes, diced
2 limes, zest and juice
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped finely
1/4 red onion, chopped finely
1/4 cup light oil (don’t use olive oil)
salt & pepper to taste
Open the cans of beans; drain them into a colander and rinse lightly – place in large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients (remember to zest the limes BEFORE you squeeze the juice into the salad). Mix and enjoy – very easy, just a lot of chopping involved.
Try serving this with some brown rice for a full protein or as a garnish over pan sauteed fish or chicken. This salad is so versatile and easy to make, you have no excuse not to get on the healthy bean band wagon with this one!
Posted in Salads
Brown Rice Tortilla Pizza
The finished cheesy goodness
So I cannot take credit for this one – it was my mother’s invention when we were craving pizza during our gluten-free beginnings. However, it has turned out to be one of my favorite snacks, meals or even appetizers. It really is surprising how much those frozen brown rice tortillas you can buy at the store can resemble a super thin-crust pizza. I love the way they taste and how super simple they are to make and hope you will too.
2 frozen brown rice tortillas (leave frozen until ready to assemble)
2-3 ripe roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese (or another salty Italian cheese like asiago)
1 large ball buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick slices
1/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tortillas on the baking sheet (you may need to use two depending on the size so they don’t overlap). Scatter the tomatoes over the tortillas so they are covered all the way to the edges. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Arrange Mozzarella slices over the tomatoes, but be sure not to overcrowd the tomatoes or they will lose their glory!!
Brown Rice Tortilla Pizza before the oven
Sprinkle the top of the pizza with the salty grated parmesan and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The pizza is done when the tortilla crust is golden and the cheese is melted/bubbly. Garnish with chopped basil and another light drizzle of olive oil. Slice and enjoy HOT!
Posted in Smalls
Tip Board Corn Flour
The Cupboard Tip Board
Gluten-Free Breading
Lots of really delicious recipes call for a coating of flour on chicken or beef or fish before it is cooked. The purpose of this coating is often to maintain the tenderness of the protein while simultaneously thickening the pan sauce or gravy that will come from this dish (i.e. pot roast, chicken marsala, etc). After a good amount of experimentation, I have found that the best substitute for regular flour is a mixture of 3 parts corn flour (super fine so it looks like a powder) and 1 part corn starch. I always recommend that you season your coating for an extra flavor boost.
If you are frying something, like fried chicken, I recommend a different coating: 3 parts corn flour and 1 part corn meal for texture. You will not need the corn starch, as its primary purpose is as a thickener.
Posted in The Cupboard Tip Board
Vanilla Cupcakes with Maple Mascarpone Icing
½ cup blanched almond flour
ÂĽ cup coconut flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup agave nectar, light or dark
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon good vanilla
3 eggs
For Icing:
1 8oz container mascarpone cheese, room temperature
Âľ cup confectioners sugar
zest of ½ orange, optional, but it really adds depth of flavor
2-3 drops maple flavoring
½ cup whipped cream
1 chocolate toffee bar, crushed into small pieces for the garnish, optional
This recipe make approximately 6 cupcakes. I like to make them in small batches since they really are best the day you make them or the day after.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, whisk to combine all dry ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients: eggs, oil, agave and vanilla. Stir until just combined, and QUICKLY spoon into a greased or paper lined cupcake pan, otherwise the mix will get dry and stiff. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden on the top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
For the icing, beat together all the ingredients except the whipped cream until light and fluffy. Add in the whipped cream and beat again until just combined. Store in the fridge until the cupcakes are cool and ready to ice. I recommend icing these cupcakes just before you serve them since the icing is perishable. Garnish with crushed chocolate toffee bar pieces.
Chipotle Chicken BBQ Soft Tacos
Chipotle Chicken BBQ Soft Tacos
So this one is for Katie G, who is one of the cutest, most enthusiastic ladies I know…She loved these when I made them on a casual girls’ night in a few months back. These are so easy and so delicious, spicy, smoky and slightly sweet with a fresh crunch and flavor from cilantro and arugula.
1 pound boneless chicken, sliced for stir-frying
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 large onion or 1 medium onion, sliced
1-2 teaspoons chipotle chilli pepper, depending how spicy you like
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup spicy barbeque sauce, whichever is your favorite – I like “Rufus Teague”
2 cups arugula (or any salad greens)
1/2 lime
grapeseed oil (any light oil)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
6-8 corn tortillas
Season the chicken with the chipotle chili pepper, salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and coat the bottom with a light oil like grapeseed. Add the chicken and saute until just cooked. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the peppers and onion to the saute pan and more oil if needed. Cook the veggies until crisp tender. Add the chicken back to the pan, reduce the heat to low and add the barbeque sauce. Stir until heated through and turn off the heat.
Meanwhile, toss the arugula with the 1/2 lime juice, about 1 tbsp oil and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon chicken into a warm corn tortilla, garnish with cilantro and top with the arugula mixture. Serve and enjoy!
This is a great quick lunch/dinner idea – you can also leave the corn tortilla out of it and serve it as a salad over the arugula – up to you!
Posted in Mains
Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread
Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread
2 cups brown rice flour (white will work if it’s all you have)
1 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup potato starch
1 3/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 packets active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup hot water (not boiling!)
1 large egg + 1 more for egg wash
In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients including the yeast. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, oil, honey and sour cream until well mixed; then add the hot (not boiling) water. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients in a few batches, incorporating the liquid between each addition.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the dough in a greased and parchment lined loaf pan in a warm place (I usually place mine on top of the stove as the oven heats up). As soon as the dough has risen to about twice its bulk, it is ready to bake, usually about 15 minutes. Be sure not to let it rise so much that it spills over the top of the pan.
Gently brush the top of the risen dough with an egg wash (one beaten egg plus about 1tbsp water) before placing it in the oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool completely before you slice it, or it will be too sticky to slice!
This will stay moist and delicious stored in a plastic zipper bag for about 3 days. After that, slice it and put it in the freezer for easy access. Enjoy!
Posted in GF Baking
Adria's Cupboard 