Bulgur Kofte (Bulgur Köftesi)

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I don't know if you have noticed that I like bulgur, different types of bulgur, and anything with bulgur. I like bulgur especially in kofte form such as this, this, and this. Bulgur kofte is yet another bulgur dish in kofte form. The recipe belongs to my mom and has long been a family favorite. Bulgur gives a nice, nutty flavor to otherwise a regular kofte recipe. We usually enjoy it during summer days since it is lighter than 100% meat recipes and delicious when grilled. Although I have a copy of Ayla Algar's Classical Turkish Cooking, I hadn't noticed before that Algar has a similar recipe to my mom's bulgur kofte recipe. The following is a combination of both.   























for 4 people
1 pound ground beef (80% lean) [Algar asks for ground lamb]
1/2 cup fine bulgur
1 big or 2 medium onions, grated
1 green pepper, preferably a spicy one, chopped finely
1 tsp crushed spicy red pepper flakes
1 to 1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/3 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup mint, finely chopped or 1 1/2 tbsp dry mint flakes or dry basil
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and ground pepper

-Place bulgur in a bowl. Pour hot water on top to barely cover it. Let stand for 15 minutes to soak.
-Add the rest of the ingredients. Salt to your taste.
-Take pieces little bigger than walnuts and shape into oval patties.
-Either grill until both sides are crispy or cook them in a lightly oiled pan on both sides.TweetPin It

Semolina Sponge Cake (Revani)

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If you are a libertine, don’t turn from the cup of pure wine
If you are wise, take your glass in the direction of Galata…Pious one, should you see those Frankish (European) boys but onceYou would never cast an eye on the houris in paradise…Everywhere is filled with paradisiacal boys and girls, Revani,Who enters it looks no more to the highest heaven(from The Age of Beloveds by Walter Andrews and Mehmet Kalpakli) 
These lines which depict the life in Istanbul of 16^th century are from a poem by Revani, an Ottoman poet, an infamous libertine who lived in late 15^th and early 16^th centuries. And revani the dessert is said to be named after Revani the poet. The association is not rooted in Revani’s notorious ways in entertainment or financial matters (he never gets any positive remarks on his character in biographies), but in his famous unique and novel work Ä°ÅŸretname (Book of Wassail) which deals with anything related to Ottoman carousals: the wine, best seasons for drinking wine, wine glasses, flagons, young men serving wine, and, of course, food. E.J.W. Gibb in his colossal work on Ottoman poetry defines Revani as a “thorough-going hedonist” but not a “mystic.” In “Book of Wassail” he proves Gibb right. Revani gives a long list of delicasies in his lines and with vivid metaphors likens them to serpents (sausages), pearl (rice), or blond beauty (saffron) (see Gibb for more info on “Book of Wassail”).
Although he wrote couplet after couplet praising pleasures of food, I don’t know why particularly revani, a sponge cake, a semolina sponge cake to be accurate, soaked in syrup is named after Revani. 





























for the cake2/3 cup semolina1/3 cup flour (white)5 eggs, separated 2/3 cup sugar2 tbsp or less orange zest (optional)
for the syrup2 1/2 cup water2 1/2 cup sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp lemon zest (optional)
for the topcoconut flakes orground pistachio 
-Beat egg yolk with sugar until creamy. -Add orange zest, semolina, and flour gradually as your mixing them all with a whisker or a mixer.-In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they turn into firm foam and add them into the cake. -Grease a deep cake pan 9-10 inch in diameter.-Pour the batter and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown. Check with a knife or a toothpick to make sure the cake is done. They should come out clean.-Meanwhile, mix sugar, water, and lemon juice + zest in a pot and bring to a boil. Then simmer on medium for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. -When revani is still in the cake pan and warm, not hot but warm, cut in into diamond shape slices or in squares. -Pour the lukewarm syrup on top with a scoop slowly, waiting the cake to soak it in.-Serve diamond with coconut flakes or ground pistachio on top. Revani is also good with vanilla ice cream or clotted cream on the side.       

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Dried Eggplant Dolma (Kuru Patlıcan Dolması)

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I have been receiving complaints from readers, friends, and friends of friends about lack of new recipes on the blog. I know; it's been a while. I've been busy and lazy at the same time. But here we go.

Dried eggplant dolma is a popular winter dish mainly in the southeastern part of Turkey. Reasonable size eggplant are cut in half, carved, put on strings, and dried out in the sun to cherish eggplant deliciousness in the winter. You can find strings of dried eggplants easily at Turkish or Middle Eastern markets. The number of dried eggplants on a string vary between 30-40. Why am I cooking dried eggplants when we can find tasty fresh ones? We're moving across the country and I am cooking our pantry one item at a time!



































1 string of dried eggplants (~30)

for the stuffing
1 lb ground beef
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp spicy pepper paste (it's ok not to use it if you cannot find it)
1 medium tomato, grated or 1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup white rice
1/2 cup bulgur (if not, substitute with rice)
juice of one lemon (In the southeast, in stead of lemon they use a thick sour sauce made from plums, similar to pomegranate sauce) 
1 tbsp dry sumac (obviously sourness is a must with this dish)
1 tsp black pepper (or more--I usually go up to 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp dry mint flakes
1 tsp cumin

1/4 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
salt

for the sauce
3-4 tbsp butter
3 tomatoes, grated or 1 can of petite diced tomato
hot water

-Boil a big pot of water and add dried eggplants. Cook for ~ 20 minutes or until they soften enough that a fork can go through easily. Rinse in cold water and set aside.
-Mix all the stuffing ingredients well.
-With the help of your hands or a small spoon, stuff eggplants. Do not stuff all the way; leave room on top to fold the top. This way you will secure overflowing. (Look at the first picture; do not stuff your dolmas like the one on the left. The one on the right is the good model!)
-Place dolmas side by side in a wide pot.
-Pour grated tomatoes and sprinkle butter pieces. Add hot water to cover dolmas. On top of the pot, place a flat-ish plate upside down. It will hold dolmas down when you're cooking them.
-Bring to a boil and turn down to low for 30-35 minutes or until rice is cooked.
-Let it sit in the pot for 5 minutes and serve with crusty bread.TweetPin It

Spinach Stem with Wheat Berries (Buğdaylı Ispanak Kökü)

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The move is finally over and we have been Californians for almost two months now. I am loving the Palo Alto farmer's markets (who wouldn't when you can buy a celery root for a dollar!) and cooking a lot; just not blogging. Finally emergence of fresh spinach at the market made it. In Turkey, when you have a bunch of fresh spinach you can cook a variety of different dishes with green spinach leaves: such as "the" spinach dish,   spinach dish known as "the bachelors' dish", or delicious börek/phyllo dough dish. Before cooking any of these dishes, you pinch off the stems and save them for other equally scrumptious dishes. They are great in salads, in stir fry, or in avgolemono sauce. The following simple recipe is inspired by the traditional spinach dish or the most common spinach dish, for which you basically stir spinach, onion, and tomatoes with rice. I replaced leaves with stems and rice with soft wheat berries. It is simply delicious. More spinach stem recipes to follow.



stems of 1 lb spinach
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, grated or diced (if you can find them, if not use 2 tbsp tomato paste or 1 can of diced tomato)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp white sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 c cooked wheat berries (you can substitute wheat berries with brown rice)
salt
1 tsp spicy pepper flakes, if you wish
hot water

-Soak wheat berries in water over nights. The next day wash them well and boil them until soft with lots of water (they soak incredible amount of water)
-Wash the spinach stems well, discard any hard spots at the ends, and cut them into med pieces.
-Heat olive oil in a pot and stir onion and garlic until soft.
-Add tomato and cook for at least 5 minutes.
-Add lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper flakes. Stir once.
-Add spinach stem, and stir for a couple of minutes.
-Add cooked wheat berries, stir, and pour hot water to barely cover everything.
-Cook until spinach stems are soft on low to med.
-Serve warm or cold.TweetPin It

Priest's Beef Stew (Papaz Yahnisi)

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Since I haven't posted a new recipe in a while, I wanted to break the silence with a heavily delicious or deliciously heavy one: priest's beef stew or ragout. This succulent ragout recipe comes from the Aegean part of Turkey, and judging by the name, priest--not "yahni" since it is of Persian origin for meat and onion dishes--the dish must be originally Greek. Another clue about its Greek roots is the use of cinnamon. Although it is an indispensable spice in Turkish cooking, cinnamon is used for the most part in desserts, not in savory dishes and most definitely not in stews. But here we go, this stew asks for cinnamon and allspice, and in the end the beef braised for hours with these spices is just fantastic. If you are a meat eater, you will want to write this recipe down.    


serves 4-6, depending on the appetite 2 lb stew beef1 lb pearl onions, peeled (you can use frozen ones, but I really think they don't taste the same)3 tbsp butter1 head of garlic,8-10 cloves, don't panic it's good3 tbsp red wine vinegar or 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar1 can of diced tomatoes or 3 tomatoes, grated1 tsp sugar1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp allspice, ground1 tsp sugar1 tsp or more salt1 tsp black pepper1/4 c flour 2 c hot waterparsley, finely chopped to garnish
-Place stew beef on a flat surface (a big plate or a tray), sprinkle flour on top, and make sure each piece is coated.-Melt the butter in a stew pot, add stew beef, and on medium heat saute until they are all browned and crispy outside: ~6-7 minutes.-Add pearl onions and garlic and stir for  another 6-7 minutes. At this point flour on the beef might stick to the bottom of the pot, but that's fine. Keep stirring; it'll go away once you add tomatoes and water.-Add diced or grated tomatoes (I always put diced tomatoes in a food processor or a hand blender and pulse 2-3 seconds to have a smoother texture), spices, salt, and boiling water.-Once it bubbles, turn the heat down to low, cover ans simmer for at least 2 hours, and get a beer &  go outside because the delicious smell will drive you crazy. -Serve with rice and/or crusty bread.
I started making papaz yahnisi based on a recipe that I read from a Turkish cookbook back in the day when I didn't have a blog and wasn't careful about my recipe sources. and now I cannot remember the name of the writer or the book. If I remember, I'll definitely cite it. TweetPin It

Zucchini Gratin

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Zucchini gratin gets a make-over. Gluten-free and dairy-free.

On the way to saving your life there are moments that stir up a thousand kinds of trouble. Denial. Anger. Grief. Desire. The last one is the trouble I hear about the most here on Gluten-Free Goddess. The slow burn of longing. Comments and letters asking, sometimes pleading, pining, always hungry for some beloved recipe one can no longer consume. Due to evil gluten. Food is an emotional issue. Charged with hot spots and invisible buttons that can be pushed and engaged by a myriad of things. A scent. A circumstance. A holiday. Food can equal love. Evoke comfort. Mom. Or lack of Mom. Food can feel like self care and nourishment. But it can also be a fence. A barrier erected to survive. A way to numb. Escape. Live three feet from yourself.

Because some days it's hard to be a human being.

Sometimes I get tired of blogging about food. Sharing recipes. Because in all transparency, I don't feel like a foodie. I don't build my day around a meal or shopping for ingredients. Food is fuel. And often (in my house) food is an after thought. As in, Sweet Tap Dancing Bodhisattva, I'm starving. It's six PM. And I have nothing in the fridge except a jar of organic peanut butter.

And lettuce.

The un-foodie truth is, I sometimes resent the fact that I have to stop what I am doing and eat. It interrupts my flow. My doing flow. My thinking flow. My reading flow. Cooking takes time. And energy. And a certain level of focus (if one wishes to avoid burning the last clove of garlic, anyway). Cooking takes planning. One has to remember to physically get to the market now and then (which requires driving, another activity preferably avoided, right up there with drafting grocery lists). Avoiding said planning, one can far too easily find oneself without a scrap of dark chocolate in the house.

Chocolate may be the primary reason I get to the grocery store at all.

Before I discovered I had celiac disease, I ate simply. I was a vegetarian. Food was no big whup. As long as I had a bag of brown rice in the pantry, I was golden. I stir-fried veggies. I bought French baguettes daily. I baked the occasional chocolate chip brownie. But I wasn't hyper-focused on every single morsel that went into my mouth. I was loose and free, and true, I cooked. But food was more of a natural expression of my life as an artist and a mother. Cooking was as organic as breathing, a creative thing that didn't require surgical precision. I cooked simple, down to earth food. The kids grew up well fed and acquainted with pasta and fresh basil, olive oil, pumpkin soup. And real mac and cheese. Today both sons are amazing, intuitive cooks.

But when celiac disease made its appearance (in vivid ways you don't want to know about, Sweetpea) it complicated everything. Spontaneity (my favorite trait) atrophied. My easy going relationship with food morphed into an anxious love-hate alliance. Yes, I rolled up my can-do sleeves and problem solved. I did. I was a good sport. I tackled gluten-free head on. And I've been churning out gluten-free recipes for ten years. And dairy-free for four five years. I'm no slacker. But.

Some days?

I wish I was "normal". As in, I wish I could grab a crusty bakery baguette and a salty wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano for dinner. Like I used to. When making art was romantic and love was new.

Wishful thinking.

Which gets me nowhere.

Except back to the place I started.

Desire.

Fresh basil and zucchini beckon. Make a gratin.

 

Yesterday I craved an easy old favorite. Zucchini gratin. You know the one. Classic Italian comfort food, hot from the oven, bubbling with pan-tossed zucchini and garlic in a creamy cheesy sauce topped with Italian herbed bread crumbs. Zucchini gratin is the perfect marriage of tenderness and flavor. Melted gooey cheese and toasty crumbs. Gluten-free and dairy-free. Wait. What? Seriously?

Yes, Darling. A gratin to love. Even if you aren't a foodie and need to avoid gluten and dairy like the plague, doesn't mean you have to give up a lovely, cheesy, comforting gratin.

It just means you have to plan a little.

And make a list.

And shop.

And cook.

And then. You can eat.

And smile.

Because it's so freakin' tap-dancing good.

Tender zucchini and creamy vegan cheese topped with g-free crumbs.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Gratin Recipe

Zucchini gratin is an easy home cooked side dish that will entice even veggie avoiders to indulge. If you don't need to be dairy-free, use milk and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, as needed
4 medium zucchini, trimmed and sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt, to taste
2 organic free range eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil leaves
1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
2 tablespoons almond meal
2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded vegan cheese (I used Daiya mozzarella style)
Fresh chopped Italian parsley, for serving

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish or two 8-inch oval gratin dishes. Set aside.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet, using medium-high heat, and add the zucchini slices and garlic. Season with sea salt. Shake and toss the zucchini to cook lightly- just until tender-crisp.

Spoon the zucchini into the baking/gratin dish.

Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil leaves.

In a large measuring cup, beat the eggs with a fork. Add in the soy milk and beat till combined.

Pour the egg mixture over the zucchini. Top with most of the vegan cheese.

In a small mixing bowl toss the gluten-free bread crumbs with the almond meal, dried Italian herbs, and one tablespoon olive oil.

Spoon the oiled bread crumbs on top.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Loosely tent the gratin with a piece of foil.

Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes or so, until hot and bubbling. Remove the foil and cook for another 5 minutes if the top needs needs browning.

Serves 4.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. 

Zucchini gratin yum- with vegan "mozzarella".

Karina's Notes:

To make your own gluten-free bread crumbs (highly, highly recommended), use two toasted plain waffles or two slices of your favorite gluten-free bread, processed into crumbs.

If you are avoiding nuts, replace the almond meal with more GF bread crumbs.

To replace the eggs, thicken the sauce with gluten-free flour: Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan. Add two tablespoons sweet rice flour; whisk to combine. Cook for a minute. Add the soy milk, stirring to warm through and thicken. Pour over the zucchini slices.

If you prefer to use dairy based cheese, I think goat cheese or good Parmesan would be lovely, as would fresh mozzarella.

More gluten-free gratin recipes:
Andrea Meyers - Zucchini Tomato Gratin
Karina's Pesto Zucchini Tomato Gratin
Pinch My Salt - Zucchini and Tomato Gratin
Kalyn's Kitchen - Zucchini Bake with Feta and Thyme

Gluten-Free Zucchini Lime Scones

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Fresh baked zucchini scones with lime.

As the old Zen koan advises, row row row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily... summer is but a dream. Dear (beautiful and appreciated) reader, forgive my clumsy extra syllable as I squeeze summer in for life and stumble up the rhythm for the sake of my wandering focus today, which is how mind-bogglingly fast time goes by. In spite of the airless, oven-style heat. In spite of the sticky sleepless nights (thank goddess for iPhones).

Summer is careening into Fall faster than you can say Lady GaGa is gluten-free.

And zucchini is taking over the universe.

But I've got your back.

First up on the Z List is this moist and tender Gluten-Free Goddess Zucchini Bread that even GaGa herself might be tempted to bake (if she baked instead of practicing her waggle and ingesting only lettuce). There are these little gems- my Maple Sweetened Almond Zucchini Mini-Muffins (to die for). And this Zucchini Quinoa Breakfast Cake. Not to mention, Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies.

If savory zucchini recipes are calling to you, I've got some hot zuke favorites, too. Remember those crispy Fried Zucchini Chips with Lime-Mint Dipping Sauce? So good. And in the comfort food category, Creamy Penne Pasta Bake with Zucchini hits the spot. As does my old school Italian Mama inspired favorite- Zucchini Gratin. For a new wave no-cook vegan pasta, turn your gaze no further than this Raw Zucchini Pasta with Curry Cream Sauce.

And if that isn't enough to satiate your zucchini lust, I've got one more recipe. A new recipe we baked this morning. Perfectly light and golden, lovely for a Sunday brunch. Or any day you feel like visiting with a friend over a pot of tea.

Because life is all about flow, baby. Don't let it pass you by.

Row gently.

Bake some scones.

Gluten-free zucchini lime scones, tender and fresh. Love the pan!

I baked these Zucchini Lime Scones in this cast iron scone pan. They turned out perfect- golden and light. And the pan makes it so easy. I bought it at Amazon. But you could probably find one locally. If not, here's the link to the cast iron scone pan on Amazon. (I receive a small compensation if you purchase it through my Amazon link, as I am an Amazon Affiliate.)

Gluten-free dairy-free zucchini lime scones from Gluten-Free Goddess.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Lime Scones Recipe

Tender and laced with lime, these light and golden zucchini scones are a refreshing change from your average gluten-free scone. If you don't have a scone pan, you can bake the scones as a round loaf in a cake pan, and cut the round into eight wedges.

Ingredients:

1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 tablespoons coconut oil
2 large organic free-range eggs (or egg replacer)
1/2 cup rice milk or non-dairy milk
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shredded zucchini, pressed and patted dry
Zest from one medium lime (save a little for the topping)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Lightly rub the scone pan with a touch of coconut oil.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, starches and dry ingredients.

Add the coconut oil and beat to distribute, until the mixture looks sandy.

Add the eggs and rice milk, lime juice and coconut extract. Beat until smooth and sticky.

Add in the half cup of shredded zucchini and the lime zest. Stir in by hand.

Spoon the dough evenly into the scone pan. Using wet fingers, smooth out the tops. Add a few strands of shredded zucchini and some lime zest to the top of each scone.

bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until the scones are golden and firm to the touch.

Wonderful with vegan butter. Freeze wrapped scones for future treats. Thaw and warm for serving. We grill ours in a pat of vegan butter.

Makes 8 scones.

Note: For how I baked scones without a scone pan, see my recipe for Pumpkin Scones with Maple Icing. 

I'm now using less brown rice and brown rice flour, and eating fewer rice cakes, etc. Here's why- there is elevated arsenic in rice.
Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. 

How to Make Raw Cashew Cream and a Curry Ranch Dressing Recipe

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Cashew cream makes a divine dairy-free ranch dressing.

Here in La La Land it's been too hot to cook. So I've been going raw. Numero uno- it's easy. Numero dos- it's tasty. And as an added bonus (if you need another nudge) cooking raw keeps the kitchen cool as a cucumber- which, by all accounts, is chilly by default, and, well. Cool. As in hip. At least around these hipster parts (it's right up there with gluten-free lately).

I am way past the hipster stage of life, I confess. But I admit I've been flirting with raw cuisine on and off ever since the monkey gut incident. Eating vegan and raw seems to help heal inflammation and tame my irritable, punishing digestion. Unless it's broccoli. Or onion. Or too much raw fruit. I still need to be careful. But eating mostly vegan soothes my pesky symptoms and revitalizes my cranky, creaky body. I am amazed at how much better I feel. Maybe it's all those perky little enzymes.

Now if I could only quell the stress factor.

Good thing I have an iPhone. Iphoneography keeps me sane. It's a way I can paint. Create. Stay engaged. Hopeful. It keeps my spirit fed. And my visually dominant brain happy.

Meanwhile, an iphoneoraphy girl's gotta eat. So I'll be soaking almonds and cashews for raw recipes. Freezing bananas. And stocking up on lettuce.

Why not try a little un-cooking yourself these last hot days of summer? This recipe for cashew cream is the perfect place to start. It's versatile and voluptuous. It's vegan and dairy-free.

You'll love it.

So go.

Start soaking.

Soaking raw cashews for cashew cream.

How to Soak Cashews for Cashew Cream

You'll need:

1 cup organic raw cashews
Fresh filtered water

Rinse the cashews in a colander and place them in a glass or ceramic bowl. Cover them with fresh filtered water.

Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let them soak for two hours.

Drain and use in recipes.

How easy is that?

Dairy-free ranch dressing kicked up with curry spices.

Curry Ranch Dressing - a raw vegan recipe

Cashew cream makes a luscious creamy base for ranch style dressings and sour cream style sauces. Here I combined traditional ranch flavors with a kiss of curry. We enjoyed it on crisp herbal salad greens, and as a dip for fresh carrot sticks.

Ingredients:

1 cup soaked raw cashews
1/2 cup fresh filtered water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon mild gluten-free curry powder, to taste
1/4 teaspoon organic garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon organic onion powder
Pinch of sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste1 teaspoon fresh minced dill
2 teaspoons fresh minced parsley
2 teaspoons fresh minced basil leaves

Instructions:

Combine the soaked cashews, water, lemon juice, curry, garlic and onion powder in a Vita-Mix or blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of filtered water to thin; pulse. Add another tablespoon, as needed.
Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
Add the fresh chopped herbs. Pulse briefly to combine. Don't over do it.
Taste test! Adjust seasonings to your liking. Store in a covered glass jar or storage container. The flavors get better as it chills.
Use as a salad dressing or as a dip for carrot, celery, and zucchini sticks, and broccoli florets.
Makes four servings.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. 

Karina's Notes:

For a thicker dip for crudities, use a little less liquid to start. You can always add more.

Out of fresh herbs? Use dried. Start with a teaspoon each of dried herbs.

Using this a veggie dip is a tasty way to get kids to munch healthy.

Best used within four days.

Here's more delicious inspiration to keep you cool:

Raw Almond Spread Three Ways at Happy Healthy LifeSusan's Lite Goddess Dressing at FatFree Vegan Kitchen Rawmazing's recipe and tips for making Almond ButterAvocado Wasabi Salad at Vegan Yum YumRaw Chard Salad with Vegan Cashew Dressing at Book of YumElana's Pantry whips up Cashew MilkAin't No Egg Salad at Gluten-Free Vegan Family

Karina's Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

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The best gluten-free apple crisp I've made. In this lifetime anyway.

I've been pondering identity lately. As in, am I the I writing this as Gluten-Free Goddess--- or am I a word-free, less defined kind of I that isn't actually I at all, but merely a spark in the collective energy source that is the great Mystery? Or Universe. Or Divine. Or whatever conceptual nomenclature you prefer.

Am I my thinking mind- or am I more of an essence, what we call soul, a truth beyond the assumed collection of thought patterns, personality traits, and personal history framed by a set of beliefs and separation known as the ego?

I do know I am not my disease.

One of the reasons I chose not to use the word celiac in my blog title was for just this very reason. I do not define myself as a celiac. In an identity sense. Yes, it says so on my medical records somewhere (in full disclosure, I think it actually says "possible sprue, resolved by the patient going gluten-free" because I couldn't afford an endoscopy). But I do not identify with my disease. That would be identifying with my gastro-functional limitations.

Hello, my name is Karina. And I have screwed up villi.

But I am not my screwed up villi. Just as I am not my post-cataract artificial lens implants. Or my salt and pepper hair that bristles like a squirrel on my prone-to-migraines head. I am also not my post-menopausal body that has brilliantly succumbed to a force superior than lunges and squats.

In the end gravity wins, I am sorry to tell you.

The older I get, I find less and less comfort in defining myself at all- never mind defining myself by my various bodily quirks (not to mention, my southerly migrating butt). I derive no solace in my mental quirks either. My beliefs, or assumptions or my random monkey thoughts. Even my skills are a poor capture of who I really am. I do not identify with how many paintings I've painted or sold, or how many likes I receive on Instagram. I do not crave recognition as a mirror. The promise of fame and fortune remains less than compelling.

I instead wander the hours of my days seeking answers that lead to more questions. Not answers that close the book. As in, subscribing to a system that has it all "figured out".

As Anne Lamott says, certainty is the opposite of faith.

Certainty is finite.

The end of growth. It clips the wings of possibility- the bigger truth that exists beyond my small understanding. Closing the book on the question of Who am I, exactly? would be foolish. The Big Mystery is far greater and more full of awesome than I can ever attempt to imagine. And whatever micro-teeny part I play in this infinite universal system called Life, I intuitively know one aspect of it, thanks to five-plus decades of living. Whatever It is, It is fluid. Everything changes. Including time. The past, present and future. The Universe (it's expanding, you know, faster than they first calculated). My experiential perception of myself (also expanding). The I that does not exist, because the I is only ego. The nattering, unreliable voice in my head.

So if this I does not exist--- who is craving this apple crisp?

Perhaps the only sensible response is this.

Be one with the apple crisp.

Now that I can do.

Quinoa flakes are the secret ingredient in this apple crisp.

Karina's Gluten-Free Apple Crisp Recipe

Ever since I started using quinoa cereal flakes in crisp and crumble toppings I've been dreaming of making an apple crisp. In the past I've used a pancake mix, or a blend of gluten-free flours to make a sugary topping. But quinoa flakes kick it up to a new level of flavor (not to mention, add a whole grain goodness to the endeavor). The texture is delightfully light. And the organic coconut oil gives it a buttery melt-in-your-mouth delicacy I haven't enjoyed since giving up moo-cow dairy.

Ingredients:

6 apples (Macintosh, Delicious, Pink Lady, Gala)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons tapioca or arrowroot starch
1 cup quinoa flakes
3/4 cup brown rice flour (or sorghum flour)
1 cup organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup organic coconut oil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x11-inch gratin or baking dish with vegan buttery spread. Set aside.

Peel and core the apples. Slice them and toss into a bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss to coat. Add the maple syrup and stir. Dust with tapioca starch and stir again to coat the slices. Pour the slices into the prepared baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the quinoa flakes, brown rice flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt and whisk to blend. Add the coconut oil in pieces and using a whisk or a pastry cutter, cut the coconut oil into the flour blend until you have an even, sandy mixture.

Spoon the mixture all over the top.

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes. Cover the top loosely with a piece of foil and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or so (depends upon the size/type of apples), until the apples are fork tender and the sides of the crisp are bubbling. (The foil will help keep the topping from browning too much.)

Allow the crisp to cool before serving- though slightly warm it is luscious. We had leftover apple crisp the next day, chilled, right out of the fridge, and Darling it was fabulous cold, too. It tasted like apple pie.

Serves 8.

Baking time : 40 to 45 minutes.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. 

G-free apple crisp warm from the oven. It's also fabulous chilled.

Karina's Notes:

Quinoa flakes make this crisp and crumble topping light and delicate. If you cannot find quinoa cereal flakes (check your local market's hot cereal section) you can order them on-line. Yes, I suppose you could substitute rolled oats- but I find even gluten-free rolled oats rather tough to digest, and they make a heavier gluten-free apple crisp. Not nearly as lovely as using quinoa flakes.

I used brown rice flour and it was perfectly flavorful. You don't need starches- or xanthan gum- in this topping recipe. If you need to be rice free, I suggest sorghum flour.

To keep it completely starch free, omit the tapioca starch in the apple filling. I did, and it worked beautifully- though the juices would be thicker if you add the starch.

This fabulous recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and xanthan gum free. Holy tap dancing Goddess. That's a lot 'o free.

Enjoy sugary treats in moderation. Gluten-Free Goddess advises consuming no more than 2 tablespoons of sugar a day.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - New Recipe

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How do I say this? These new chocolate chip cookies are the best.

There are stirrings afoot here at Casa Allrich. Our gypsy boot heels are itching to wander yet again. Tugging at the threads of our daydreams. Stirring up old ghosts like some October trickster wind. Frayed old dreams folded neatly away and tucked quietly behind the stack of responsibility are getting aired out with a vengeance and enlivening discussions once again. That trip to the Cape got us thinking.

But before I speak too soon, there are chocolate chip cookies to ponder.

The subject of cookies is a favorite topic on Gluten-Free Goddess, and for good reason. I've written about cookies before- in posts too numerous to count.

So why are these different?

Why are these chocolate chip cookies blog worthy?

I will tell you darling.

Because they are golden and gently crisp on the outside, and soft and chewy within. Like the cookie you remember- that gorgeous, sweet caramel bite of homemade love. Warm from the oven these taste remarkable like the classic Toll House cookie recipe I baked a thousand times.

I credit the new flours and fat I used.

Gone is the brown rice flour. Gone is shortening. I've nixed the tapioca starch. And the result is a truly wonderful, soft dough that tastes closer to a real Toll House cookie than any other gluten-free chocolate chip cookies (though delicious!) I've baked.

So while we here at Casa Allrich discuss our future plans to ramble, bake up a batch of these- for your own road not taken.

Amy Bloom and cookies.

A gluten-free cookie you can offer guests with no apology.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - A New Recipe

We've been baking gluten-free chocolate chip cookies for eleven years now. And we've tried all kinds of flours and various fats. These cookies have a soft, chewy center and a subtle golden brown sugar flavor. And they are dairy-free!

Ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup potato starch (not potato flour)
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cup expeller-pressed organic canola oil
2 large organic free-range eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract
Rounded 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

Optional:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, potato starch, almond flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking soda, and brown sugar.

Add in the oil, eggs and vanilla extract.

Beat the dough for two minutes, until it is sticky and smooth.

Add in the dark chocolate chips; and stir by hand to combine. Add in walnuts, if desired.

Note: If it is hot and humid, cover and chill the dough for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Form the dough into 28-30 balls. Place a dozen or so on the lined baking sheet and press down lightly- not too flat.

Bake for 14 minutes. The cookies will look golden- but still feel slightly soft to the touch. They crisp a bit as they cool.

Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Sensational warm from the oven.

Wrap cooled cookies by twos and freeze in freezer bags for future g-free treats. I place a small piece of parchment paper between cookies.

Warm thawed cookies briefly in a microwave for melty chocolate chips and a fresh-baked style soft center.

Makes 28 to 30 cookies.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. 

Notes:

This particular gluten-free flour combo makes for a delightfully soft centered, chewy cookie. Not cakey. Not hard. Not brittle. Just right. I suspect that's because sorghum flour is softer than brown rice flour (which is a tad gritty). Potato starch also helps. It creates a softer baked good. Tapioca starch tends to be a little tougher.

The almond meal adds an oh-so-subtle texture and flavor to the dough. If you cannot use nut flours, I suggest trying millet flour. Or if you like buckwheat flour, you could try that. I'd stay away from rice flours in this recipe.

For the fat in this recipe, I experimented. Organic Canola oil baked up beautifully- with no greasy mouth feel.

For egg-free see my vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe- developed without eggs.

For health information on canola oil please see Mayo Clinic's canola oil article here.