Berry Flan

From “A Primitive Diet” by Beverly Southam

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups hazelnuts ground finely
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Blend hazelnuts, honey and lemon juice and press into flan tin and refrigerate

Filling:

• 8 oz strawberries
• 8 oz raspberries
• A sprinkle of cinnamon or fresh ground allspice to taste.
• Sprig of mint

1. Reserve a few berries for decoration, then puree the remainder of the berries in the blender or food processor.
2. Add spice to taste
3. Spoon into flan, decorate with reserved berries and mint sprig, and refrigerate til required.

I’m bringing you this recipe courtesy of Cream Hill Estates.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 1 1/2 cup certified gluten-free oats
• 1 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 cups sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup peanuts or soy nuts
• 1/2 cup dried fruit, apples, cranberries, apricots
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together. Thoroughly blend the honey, vanilla and peanut butter. (You may need to mix with greased hands to ensure everything is mixed together.)

2. Line jelly roll pan (rimmed cookie sheet) with greased parchment paper. Pat mixture firmly into pan with greased hands or a heated spoon. If you want thinner bars, use two jelly roll pans.

3. Bake at 275 degrees until golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and once again pat firmly to ensure the bars hold together.

4. Cut into bars or squares, depending on what size you want.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Fresh cherries
• Strawberry slices or whole
• Apple slices
• Kiwi, cut in half or star shaped halves
• Honeydew, sliced into spears or cubes
• Green grapes
• Dark seedless grapes
• Small plums, sliced

Directions:

1. If you have a three-tiered tray, top each level with a doily. Cut a hole in the middle if it is the correct size or cut a few pieces to fit each level accordingly.

2. Place your fruit in “clumps” of their own category. Arrange the fruit so no two colors are close to each other – it adds contrast and excitement to the arrangement.

3. If you do not have a three-tiered tray, then various platters of shapes and sizes on a table will also look beautiful. You can even add cheeses if you are indoors or have air-conditioning available.

4. Occasionally refresh your platter (and even the doilies) to add new fruit as people munch away.

Stay cool and enjoy your summer!

My friend Rebecca Subbiah RD, LDN, CPT shared this incredible recipe with me. The recipe is adapted from Dr. Ben Kim with slight alterations.

– Miranda Jade

Makes 10-12 pancakes.

Ingredients:

Pancakes

• 1 cups yellow mung bean
• ½ cup jasmine rice
• 1 zucchini (about 12 oz)
• 1 tsp. unrefined sea salt
• ½ red bell pepper
• 3 green onions
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• ½ onion
• ½ – 2 cups filtered water
• ½ tsp. unrefined sea salt
• Virgin coconut oil (to cook)

To serve

• ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
• Chili oil, to taste

Directions:

1. Soak the mung beans and the rice in water overnight with 1 Tbsp. of whey, yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, lemon juice or vinegar.

2. Cut the zucchini in matchsticks and place in a large bowl with the salt. Toss the zucchini, then set aside and let it sit for one hour to draw out the moisture. Then, seed and dice the red bell pepper and chop the green onion. Peel and cut the onions into medium dice.

3. To blend the mung bean mixture, drain the mung bean and the rice and place in a blender along with the diced onions. Add 1 cup of water and blend. Then slowly add about ¼-½ cup of water while the mixture is blending. Then check the consistency. It should have the consistency of a pancake batter. Add the salt and blend again. Transfer to a large bowl.

4. To prepare the pancakes, squeeze out the liquid from the zucchini and add these to the pancake batter. Fold in diced red bell pepper, chopped green onion and mung beans sprouts until combined.

5. To cook the pancakes, heat a large stainless steel or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Swirl the pan to coat the whole surface with the oil. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan, about 4-5 inches in diameter or even smaller. Lower the heat slightly. Cook until you see bubbles on the top of the surface. With an offset spatula, flip the pancakes and cook for another couple of minutes. Transfer to a plate. Do the same with the rest of the batter, adding coconut oil for every batch.

6. To serve the pancakes, combine the gluten-free soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil. Serve with the pancakes immediately. They are best when hot.

7. Leftover pancakes can be kept in an airtight container and reheated in the oven until hot.

Contributed by Rebecca Subbiah RD, SRD, of ChowandChatter.com.

This recipe is an old favorite which I made gluten-free and without potatoes. I use mashed “cauliflower” as the topping and no one even knows. Not even my pickiest tester – my daughter.

Ingredients:

Topping

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tbsp butter or soy butter – not melted
• 2 tbsp rice milk (or milk of choice)

Filling

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 celery stalks diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 2 lbs ground beef (chicken or turkey)
• ¾ tsp chili or chipotle
• 2½ tbsp of cornstarch
• 6 oz peas (frozen or fresh sweet peas)

Directions:

Preheat oven 420 degrees.

Topping

1. Steam cauliflower till soft in 2½ cups of water (drain and save water).

2. Place in bowl and mash with a fork.

3. Take a blender or food processor and puree. Add butter and milk if you desire a slightly creamier texture.

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

Filling

1. Heat oil in large skillet.

2. Cook onion about 2 minutes on medium heat.

3. Add celery, carrot and garlic. Cook about 8 – 10 minutes

4. Add beef and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir and break up pieces so they’re small.

5. Add the cornstarch to 2 cups of your saved water from your steamer and whisk it. Add mixture to beef and simmer around 1-2 minutes on low heat.

6. Pour filling into a 2-quart dish.

7. Evenly distribute cauliflower mash over the top, sealing edges.

8. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 4 ½ cup cauliflower
• ¾ cup cashews, soaked in water for 4 hrs. (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 medium garlic clove

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together. If you’re using a Vitamix blender, blend fast and long enough to heat up.

From Chef Oonagh Williams ofRoyal Temptations Catering

This makes only a small quantity, just right for 2 people.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg yolk at room temperature
• 1+1/2 tsp. lemon juice (Please use a real lemon and not the bottled stuff)
• ¼ tsp. gluten-free Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

1. In a 2 cup glass jug that is wide enough for an immersion blender. Blend egg yolk, mustard, salt and pepper.
2. Heat lemon juice in microwave for just a few seconds. With the immersion blender running, pour lemon juice onto the egg and keep running for a few more seconds.
3. Melt butter in microwave, add cream and heat until just ready to boil over.
4. With immersion blender already running, pour butter and cream mix over egg mix and continue to run as sauce thickens.
5. If sauce is not thick enough, then microwave at 10% power for literally a few seconds at a time. Do not cook at a higher temperature or longer time or you will get scrambled eggs. Whisk sauce with a small whisk each time you stop microwave. Sauce is ready when you can draw your clean finger through the sauce on the back of a spoon and sauce stays either side of the line. Immediately spoon onto casserole or refrigerate sauce overnight and spoon cold sauce onto hot dish.

Dairy-Free Hollandaise Sauce

I know so many of us with celiac disease are either dairy-free as well. My son and cousin are both dairy-free. However, many of us will fight to the bitter end to keep eating our dairy. So, while I am not willing to give up dairy, I certainly have family and friends that need dairy-free but still want foods that taste delicious. Plus, if I can make something dairy-free and delicious while lowering cholesterol or calories, that’s good for everyone. I’ve also made made my English lemon curd with coconut oil, it works and is tasty, but there is a definite coconut taste to me.

I made this over Christmas for my friend Gina Sandora, who has a dedicated gluten-free bakery (Allergeena) in Portland, Maine. Her stomach is happier when she limits the dairy and face it , Hollandaise, is really high in dairy. I add parsley and green onion to give more flavor. The whole meal we enjoyed was gluten-free and dairy-free. Both of our husbands are still wheat eaters. I even whipped in coconut cream instead of cream for the frozen dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg yolk at room temperature
• 1+1/2 tsp. lemon juice (Please use a real lemon not the bottled stuff)
• ¼ tsp. gluten-free Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. coconut cream (I used Aroy-D brand. Pure Asian coconut cream, not sweetened cream of coconut. Do notuse a “lite” coconut milk. The ones I’ve seen in the stores are thickened with a lot of gums, but to me the flavor is disappointing. And you are trying to make sure you have flavor.)
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, the same as butter, and you want that, not just a liquid oil. I melted some coconut oil and thenI measured out the 2 Tbsp. You need to be accurate with this small of a quantity.)
• 1 Tbsp. green of green onions
• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a 2 cup glass jug that is wide enough for an immersion blender, blend egg yolk, mustard, salt and pepper.
2. Heat lemon juice in microwave for just a few seconds. With immersion blender running, pour lemon juice onto egg and keep running for a few more seconds. Add parsley and green onions and run to chop.
3. onut oil in microwave, measure 2 Tbsp., add coconut cream to the 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (coconut oil will try to harden) and heat until just ready to boil over.
4. With the immersion blender already running, pour coconut oil and coconut cream mix over egg mix and continue to run as sauce thickens.
5. If sauce is not thick enough, then microwave at 10% power for literally a few seconds at a time. Do not cook at a higher temperature or longer time or you will get scrambled eggs. Whisk sauce with a small whisk each time you stop the microwave. Sauce is ready when you can draw your clean finger through the sauce on the back of a spoon and sauce stays either side of the line. Immediately spoon onto casserole or refrigerate sauce overnight and spoon cold sauce onto hot dish.

About Chef Oonagh Williams

Like Chef Oonagh at Gluten Free Cooking with Oonagh on Facebook, where she posts recipes, her appearances on NH ABC WMUR TV, Local and National radio, products she’s tried, where she will be speaking next. Contact Chef Oonagh on Skype for consultations on food for the gluten-free and other food allergy diets. Her gluten-free cookbook, Delicious Gluten Free Cooking has over 200 pages with full color photos. Click the link for photos and a list of all recipes. E-mail at [email protected].