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.

Homeschool Art Class 9/28/12

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We had some fun in Art Class today!  We were warned last week to wear clothes that could get messy and boy did they (really it wasn't that bad.)  We painted.  But not just paint.  They used paints that they could brush on, use their fingers, stamps, or splatter.  Along with the paint, they could also use chalks or markers to enhance their drawings.






Next we did some drawing exercises.


Then we finished up the day by making clay sculptures that we will paint next week.  Nick did a goal post, Anthony a vase, Alex a deer, Christian a snake, Lily a ball, and Chelsea a cross.

Schoolhouse Review Crew: Box of I.D.E.A.S

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Box of IDEAs is a company dedicated to creating delightful interactive learning modules centered around random sub-ject areas.   Designed to get children ages 9-16 off the computer and around the table, Box of IDEAS is a great supplement to your current curriculum, summertime learning,  homeschool group learning, or just a break from the normal routine.  Available Box of IDEAS include: World War Two, Eleven, Salt, Quilting, and Laundry.  Each Box of IDEAS id easily portable, filled with interesting topic based learning activities, contains 10 or more modules and portfolio pieces for students to record their journey through the box, is packed with suggestions and researched web links for diving deeper into the topic, and contains a timed SAT style test.  Box of IDEAS is available as a physical product or a PDF download.  We received the PDF download of the Salt Box of IDEAS to use and review. 





 From the website: " Our Salt Box of IDEAs is a comprehensive look at salt and how it has helped to shape history, nourish our bodies and even build and destroy empires. This Box delves into history, geography, science, language, political systems and much more. Salt—something that your children see and probably use every single day—can be a wonderful stepping stone to opening their minds to so very much."  The Salt Box of IDEAS includes the following modules:

The History of Salt- this module shows an overview of the many ways salt has had an influence on the world
The Science of Salt- bring science into your home through experiments with salt
The Salt March- an entre into the history of India and Mahatma Ghandi
Salt of the Earth- investigate the highest and lowest salt producing countries in the world
Need For Salt- learn how much salt your body needs
Preserving With Salt- learn about food safety and preservation
Too Much Salt- learn about salt lakes and their functions
The Wall That Salt Built- learn about the importance of salt in building the Great Wall  of China
Where Salt Lives- this module takes your children to all the places salt is found
The Language of Salt- an overview of how salt helped to develop many common sayings, names, and words

All of the modules are stand alone and can be completed in any order. Most of the modules only require a pen or pencil to complete if additional supplies are needed it is noted.  If you purchase the PDF you will also need scissors .

You can purchase the Salt Box of IDEAS as a PDF download for $49.00, or as a physical box for $79.00.  You can also purchase extra student modules for the physical box for $4.00.

Here is an example of the module The Salt of the Earth (I did not print out the instructions page)

The first page has a few short paragraphs of information to read, 3 suggested learning extensions, and 3 weblinks to do further research.  The 2nd page is the portfolio page which for this module included a bar graph to fill in and some math questions to answer.


These pages contain a numbered map, a page with numbered squares, and a page of squares showing how much salt each country produces.  The first task is for the children to locate each country on the map and put the corresponding card on the matching number for the country.  Then, you remove the cards and put them in order by salt production.  Then the child fills out the bar graph with the top 8 salt producing nations and answer the math questions.
 Nick is finishing up his bar graph.

Quite honestly, I have never given salt a whole lot of thought before.  Who knew there were so many interesting things you could learn about salt?  The interesting thing is that through using the Box of IDEAS, you learn much more than just the topic you select.  History, geography, science, math, language arts, health were all learned around the topic of salt.  My 10 year old son enjoys learning (and memorizing) facts about various things we studied, and he found the history of salt the most fascinating topic that we covered. 

When I found out we were getting the PDF version of the Salt Box of IDEAS, I was a little disappointed mostly because one of the greatest things about the idea behind this product is that everything is separated and ready to go with no work from mom involved.  But, there are some benefits to the PDF version.  It obviously is a cost savings of $30.  I did not spend $30 printing the modules out although it does take quite a lot of colored ink. It does take a little bit of preparation to get everything printed and cut out.   With the PDF you can also make as many copies as you want and you have the ability to use the product again (possibly with younger siblings as they get older) in the future.  With a PDF download, you also have access to the product immediately.

I think the Box of IDEAS products would be great in a co-op setting.  It suits a wide age range, has fun hands on activities, and doesn't require a lot of preparation.

To see what other crew mates had to say click here.

Disclaimer:  I received a complimentary PDF download of the Salt Box of IDEAS for the purpose of writing a fair and honest review.  I received no other compensation.