Gluten Free Scones

My first attempts did not turn out well, very dry & crumbly :(
If you can cope with Kamut or Barley flour which are not gluten free, then the scones do turn out rather well.
Make sure your mix is a bit more wet than wheat scones would be.

INGREDIENTS:

· 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour

·  1/4 cup "moist" gluten free  flour

·  1/4 cup quinoa flour

·  1/4 cup (60 gm) sugar

·  2 ½ tsp (12ml)gluten free baking powder

·  1/2 tsp (3ml) baking soda)

·  1/4-1/2 tsp salt (3ml)

·  1/3 cup (65 gm) vegan margarine 

·  1 cup (250 ml) rice or coconut milk

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 425°F or 220°C.

Grease baking tray with margarine. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

Cut in the margarine or butter till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the milk and mix to make a smooth dough. (add more milk if necessary to ensure mix is not too dry)

Knead very lightly for ten seconds on a lightly floured surface.

Roll or pat to about 3/4" thick (2 cm) and either cut into individual scones or cut into wedges, leaving intact (pizza style) to make a loaf.

Baking time approximately 12 minutes for individual scones.

Brush tops with melted butter after removing from the oven.

Moroccan Squash, Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

This is not a recipe from Morocco, rather it is a recipe I made up using spices I know to be used in Moroccan dishes.

It is a hearty, filling and delicious soup which I love and change depending on what I have on hand.

Don't be put off by the amount of spices or garlic, these become mellow in the cooking.

1/2 a medium size butternut squash, peeled & cut into 1" cubes

1 med. sweet potato (the orange ones) wash & cut into 1" cubes

2-3 carrots, scraped & sliced

1 small red skin potato, wash & cut into 1" cubes

1 med. onion, chopped

2 heads of garlic, peeled, cut large cloves in 1/2

1 15oz can of cooked Chickpeas drained

or equivalent of home cooked dried chickpeas

2 tbsp. ground coriander

2 tbsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. ground turmeric

1/4 tsp cayenne (use less or more to your taste)

1 or 2 vegan stock cube (depends on the brand)

1 tbsp virgin cold pressed olive oil

Water to cover well, at least a couple of inches above the veg

Put a large soup pan onto a low to med heat. Add oil, onions and garlic. when they begin to soften add spices and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. if it gets too dry add a bit of water.

Add all the veg and stir to coat.

Add water and stock cube(s). Stir bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 minutes or until veg are soft.

Remove 1/3 of veg and set aside.

Liquidize remainder of veg and stock. This should produce a thickish creamy soup.

Return to pan, re-add veg that was set aside. Add chickpeas. Stir and bring back to just below boil. Simmer for a few minutes. If the soup is too thick add a little water or stock. If it is not thick enough scoop some of the veg and chickpeas into the blender and liquidize, then return to soup blend.

I do not add salt as I find the spices and stock cubes (I use McCormck's) add enough flavour. But if your tastebuds demand some then feel free to add a little.

Serve and enjoy

Quinoa, Hemp, Veggie Burger

I love veggie burgers. This recipe can also be put in a loaf tin and baked. These started out as a way to use up leftover rice or quinoa & other veg in the fridge. They have now become a delicious treat when I crave a burger. Feel free to add other veg, more mushrooms is particularly good, as is sweet corn or a few slightly mashed beans or chickpeas.

Ingredients:
2 -3 cups mixed cooked brown rice, wild rice, red & blacked quinoa
1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds
1/2 cup cashew pieces
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 medium size onion chopped finely
3-4 mushrooms chopped finely
1 small carrot grated
1 medium to large stem & leaf curly Kale chopped finely
3-4 cloves of garlic crushed
2 tablespoons almond meal or flour
1 tablespoon golden flax seeds
1 tablespoon flax meal/ ground flax seeds
2-3 tablespoons dried herbs - whatever your favourites are. I like parsley, oregano and basil
2-3 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
1 vegetarian stock cube
1tablespoon miso
1/4 cup boiling water.
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 heaped tsp quinoa flour or other gluten free flour.
Cayenne - anything from a pinch to 1/4 tsp depending on how spicy you like it.

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper


Method
Heat a dry frying pan and add a few grinds of sea salt, when hot add cashew pieces, hemp seeds and sesame seeds. Toast stirring for 2-3 minutes till lightly coloured. Tip into large mixing bowl. Add rice & quinoa mix & set aside.
put olive oil into the frying pan and add onion, mushrooms, carrot, kale and garlic. Stir-fry until softened and onions are slightly browned. Tip into bowl with rice mixture. Add almond flour, flax seeds, flax meal and hebs. Stir well to mix all ingredients together.
Pour boiling water into small jug add the broken up stock cube and miso stir to dissolve. Add sesame oil and apple sauce. Mix together & then sir into the rice mixture. The mixture should be moist but not sloppy. If it is too dry add more apple sauce. Stir in  a little salt and a few grindings of pepper, cayenne. Taste & adjust seasonings. Stir in quinoa and then set aside to rest for at least 10 minutes.

After 10 mins the mix should hold together well when a spoonful is shaped into a patty in the hands. When making pan fried burgers  if it is too wet or crumbly add another tsp. or two of flour, mix & set aside for 5 minutes. Do not do this if cooking patties in oven as flour cooks slower and patties can be gooey.

Shape into patties. Either fry in a lightly oiled pan for 5-7 mins each side or place on a slightly oiled baking sheet & cook in the oven 400 degrees for about 15 -20 mins. The patties should be crisp and browned on the outside and moist in the centre. The texture varies between firm and slightly crumbly depending on amounts used. Either way delicious.
Makes about 12 to 16 burgers depending on size.

I love them served with a vegan mayonaise, salsa, cherry tomatoes and oven sweet potato fries. This was my supper tonight; yummy :)

This mix can also be placed in a loaf tin which has been lightly oiled. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds and cook in oven 375 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Test with a knife & if it is still too wet  cook for additional time till the texture is moist but firm.

Enjoy,
Debbie

"English Tea" Vegan and Gluten-free style

My friend Jane and I wanted to put on an English afternoon tea for a few friends.  Over the past few weeks we have been considering what this should look like considering some of us are vegan or gluten free or both; of course there are some who can just eat anything & not be bothered at all.
Yesterday was the big day and I must admit I was very pleased with the results!

Jane makes some fabulous short bread and a stellar trifle, both which were well received by those who can tolerate some dairy and gluten. We also added some store bought "normal" scones and baklava.

However, the biggest selection came on the vegan and gluten-free table. We figured that even those who can eat dairy and gluten would really enjoy the chance to take a step on the wild side and try these delights!
In the foreground right are open avocado sandwiches; to the left are two types of scones, behind which are a bowl of dairy free cream and a bowl of strawberry jam. Centre are open chickpea vegan mayo sandwiches topped either with baby tomatoes or baby cucumber slices.To the right of them are crustini: g-f bread topped with a cashew cream & then either mushroom medley or caramelized  onions which is then baked. Behind these are 2 types of mini quiches. On the blue plate is some delicious chocolate and raspberry cake made by my friend Bev. Just in front of this yummy cake is a plate with vegan marg next to some rather good store bought stem ginger cookies. On the little raise platter are some store bought almond balls behind which are a bowl of strawberries.
Finally at the to the far left of the table (back of first picture) is a plate with g-f banana & walnut bread and a plate with little petit fours cases holding some chocolate covered berries and almond.




My fantastic house-mates Lauri & Tom provided the beautiful table cloths and china. And it was so wonderful to be able to use their traditional tea trolley for the teas and cups
It really was so much fun putting this on and everyone said how much they enjoyed it, so Jane & I are planning to do this again. I am so grateful that I live with Tom and Lauri, being able to entertain again is such a huge BLESSING Their generosity in letting me use their beautiful possessions overwhelms me.
I will try to get the recipes up here over the next couple of days, so please bear with me.
                         Love & blessings
                                   Debbie