Quinoa Brownies

Came across this great recipe the other day on pinterest and modified it a bit to make it gluten-free :) It makes a great fudgey chocolatey brownie without all the refined sugars!

Makes 16 Brownies

Ingredients:
-1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
-2 Tbsp Organic Cane Sugar
-1/4 Cup UnsweetenedCocoa
-1/4 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
-3 Tbsp Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
-2 Eggs
-1 Tbsp Vanilla
-2 Tbsp Agave or Honey
-1/8 Tsp Baking Soda
-1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (topping)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Place all ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth.
Stir chocolate chips into pureed batter.
Grease your 8×8 baking dish.
Spread batter evenly into pan.
Bake for 19-22 minutes.
Remove brownies from oven and let set for 5-10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Let cool and cut into bars.

P.S. This is a "healthy brownie" so to speak, if you're looking for something sweet try the recipe for the bean brownie that I posted in March.

Quinoa Pizza Bites

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped onion
Handful of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup fresh kale chopped

2 tablespoons dried basil
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup pizza sauce (for dipping)- optional

Directions

1. Place the quinoa and two cups of water in a covered pot. Bring to boil and then simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Mix together all ingredients, except pizza sauce, in a medium mixing bowl.
4. Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (one heaping tablespoon each), and press down gently to compact.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.

Makes 24 mini muffin bites.

Theses were a hug hit at my house! One of my favorite recipes!

Adapted from: www.soveryblessed.com

Gluten-Free Baking Conversion Chart!

This is a super handy conversion chart!

Green Apple & Fig "Porridge"

In the month of Ramadhan, I am always looking for nutritious GF foods for Suhur that will give me energy for the whole day when I'm fasting! I absolutely love this!

Ingredients:
-2 chopped green apples
-1 teaspoon finely diced ginger
-3/4 cup of soaked raw almonds (I soak them overnight or soak the almonds in boiling water for 20min)
-1 cup Chopped dried figs
-1/4 cup Lemon juice
-1/4 cup Hemp seed
-Sprinkle flax seed as desired

-Mix apples, figs, almonds, ginger and lemon juice in food processor.
-Sprinkle ground flax seed and hemp seed on top. Enjoy!

You can change this recipe as desired, so if you love figs, add more (or replace it with something else like dates) . If you hate flax seed, leave it out. It's flexible.

Why you should eat this for breakfast/ Suhur:
-Figs are a great source of dietary fiber and potassium. Studies have also shown that figs prevents macular degeneration (so helps maintain good vision)!

-Ginger prevents inflammation, can eliminate gastrointestinal distress and boosts immunity!

-Almonds help reduce your risk of heart disease and is full of healthy fats and vitamin E.

-Hemp seeds are high in phytonutrients,  zinc, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein which will give you energy for the whole day!


*And the best part is that you can make a batch and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days!


Adapted from: http://adinaniemerow.com/2012/06/13/boost-your-digestion-with-a-simple-breakfast/

Who knew Vegan Gluten-Free Cupcakes could taste so good?

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1 teaspoon potato starch
• 1 teaspoon xantham gum
• 1 cup evaporated cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed until liquid
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing:

1/2 cup Vegan butter

1-3 cup Icing sugar (depends on desired sweetness)

1/4 cup Natural peanut butter for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 18 paper baking cups.

2. Measure the apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with almond milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Let stand until curdled, about 5 minutes. 

3. In a large bowl, Whisk together the flours, xantham gum, potato starch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk mixture, coconut oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack.

6. For the frosting, sift the icing sugar, then mix the butter in a mixer. Slowly add in the icing sugar until desired sweetness is achieved. Decorate with natural peanut butter :)

7. Enjoy

HEMPSEED AND BLUEBERRY CORN MUFFINS

Yummy corn muffins! Hempseeds add omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.

Ingredients

2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp potato starch
1 tsp xantham gum
1/2 cup hempseeds
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 free-range organic eggs

1/2 cup almond milk

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 425°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flours, potato starch, xantham gum, hempseeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, honey and vanilla. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in melted butter and blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Adapted from the whole foods market recipe blog.

Mango Kale Salad

Ingredients:
1 bunch of organic kale (finely chopped)
1-2 mangos diced (depends on size of lemon)
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (can add more if desired)
1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts (I use mum's brand seeds and sprout them)
1 lemon worth of lemon juice
1/4 cup organic olive oil
1tsp salt
2 tsp honey
Black pepper (as much as desired)



Directions:
1) Place kale in salad bowl and drizzle with approx. 1/2 of the lemon juice. "Massage" the kale  with your hands until it softens a bit. Set it aside for a few minutes while you make the dressing.
2) Mix the remaining lemon juice olive oil, salt, pepper and honey.
3)Now mix the seeds, sprouts and mangoes with the kale and add dressing.
4)Toss salad.
5) Enjoy!

Why eat Kale?
Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense cruciferous vegetables. Studies have shown that Kale can help reduce bad cholesterol levels, reduce risk of developing cancer and can help detoxify the body among other health benefits. More info
Another benefit of Kale is that since it has a coarse texture, unlike other leafy greens, it wont get soggy and a kale salad can be left in the fridge for a few days and still taste great!
Kale can be found at most health food/ natural food stores and some regular grocery stores such as metro have started to carry kale, so it isn't too hard to find.

Vegetable Quinoa Biryani

One of my favorite Quinoa recipes!
Ingredients:
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1/2 cup carrot (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp chili paste
2 Tbsp biryani powder
2 Tbsp organic yogurt
1/2 tsp peeled fresh ginger (grated)
6 cup kale (torn) or spinach works too
2 cups brown rice (cooked)
1 cup quinoa (cooked)
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (minced)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (drained)

Procedure:
1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Set aside 1 cup cooked quinoa.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add curry, biryani powder, yogurt, chili paste, and ginger; sauté 1 minute.
3. Add remaining ingredients; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve at room temperature.

Empanadas!!

I have been trying to find a good empanadas recipe for a while, so I was ecstatic when this one worked!

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon of potato starch
1 stick of butter
1 egg
3/4 cup of water





Preparation:
Combine gluten free flour mix, 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum, the water, the butter cut in cubes and salt in a bowl. Kneed it until it takes the shape of a ball. Cover it with film and to the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Once your dough is well rested and cold, sprinkle some gluten free flour on your kitchen table and work it a little bit. Don’t work it too much. 
Make 2 inch balls and make them into circles with the rolling pan.

To make the empanadas, place a disc on your left hand, and moist your index finger with water. Wet half of the border of your disc. Then place the filling in the middle. Close it, press the border, and pinch it to close it better and give it the nice empanada shape.

Cook them on a 350 degree preheated oven for about 30 minutes.


I used a filling made of black beans, feta and spinach but you can use whatever you like.

Scrumptious Chocolate Cookies

I have tried many different gluten free cookie recipes and this is by far the best one I have tried.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line one or two baking sheets with an Exopat or Silpat liner.
Whisk together the dry ingredients:
1/2 cup GF buckwheat flour
1/2 cup corn flour (make sure its finely milled)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch or potato starch (not potato flour!)
1/3 cup organic cocoa
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup organic cane sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar (can replace with coconut sugar if desired)

Add in:

1/2 cup light organic olive oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond milk- more as needed

As you beat the dough pay close attention to the consistency. Add more milk a tablespoon at a time, and beat to combine, until you achieve a smooth but sturdy cookie dough.

Add in:

1/2 cup chocolate chips (or if you prefer cocoa nibs)

Stir as best you can to combine (the dough is stiff).

Roll a golf ball sized wad of dough between your palms, and place the ball on the lined baking sheet about two inches apart. Use your palm to press down on the dough and flatten slightly. Make as many balls as your mixture allows.

Bake time: 15 min (or less depending on your oven)
Makes 24 cookies

*Adapted from Karina Allrich

Quiche!

Just made these amazing Quiche's adapted from Andrew Cordova's recipe!

Ingredients:
-10 Eggs
-1 cup coconut milk
-1 cup of broccoli finely chopped
-2 mushrooms chopped
-Coconut oil for greasing the pan
-Muffin pan
How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350 fahrenheit
2. Whisk eggs then incorporate coconut milk
3. Oil each muffin cavity
4. Distribute the mushroom, and broccoli evenly into each cavity
5. Fill each cavity with egg/coconut milk mixture
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly brown
7. Allow the quiche to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin pan

Makes 12 muffin size Dairy Free Crustless Quiche’s


These quiche are great. I freeze them and if I ever need a meal-to-go i grab one :)

Black Bean Brownies

I found a recipe by Melissa D'Arabian for black bean brownies, so I adapted it to make it gluten-free. When you taste it, you would never guess that it has beans in it!!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cooked black beans
• 1/2 cup organic olive oil *
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup Green & Black's unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup evaporated cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 9-inch square baking pan.

In a blender, puree the beans with the oil. Add the eggs, cocoa, sugar, coffee, and vanilla. Melt the chocolate and add to the blender. Blend on medium-high until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the blender and pulse until just incorporated. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the surface looks somewhat matte around the edges and still a bit shiny in the middle, about 20 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting and removing from the pan.

*You can also make them with coconut oil. It tastes amazing too! Just switch out half of the olive oil and replaced it with 1/4 cup coconut oil. (melt the coconut oil with the chocolate and add to blender!)

Enjoy!!

Delicious Quinoa Muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup gluten free flour mix of your choice (or brown rice four)
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 bananas
2 eggs
2 Tbsp organic honey
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp flax
1/4 cup craisins (or raisins or chocolate chips)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
2. Mix flour and flakes with the other dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together bananas, eggs and honey; add to dry ingredients.
4. Mix in chia seeds, flax & craisins.
5.. Half fill greased muffins tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes

So what is this "Gluten" thing that everyone is talking about?

Is eating gluten-free healthy?
Eating gluten-free is commonly portrayed as "healthy". But is it really? For example, is gluten-free cake any "healthier" than normal cake? The answer to that is no. Eating gluten-free is not necessarily a way to eat healthier for everyone. Some people are sensitive to gluten and eating gluten-free can be better for their health, but it depends on the individual.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein that is found in many grains, but there are some grains that are naturally Gluten-free. Gluten has many properties, it helps dough rise, gives your favorite bagels that dense, chewy texture and many other properties.
How do you find out if you're sensitive to gluten?
People who have celiac disease must eat 100% gluten free and a health care professional will be able to determine if you are celiac. But there are others people who are simply sensitive to gluten, and their bodies don't react well to gluten. To figure out if you are sensitive to gluten, I would suggest contacting a nutritionist or going for a few weeks without eating any gluten and seeing if it improves your health in anyway.
What are the symptoms of gluten intolerance?
Gluten intolerance can cause diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, irritable bowel symptoms, brain fog, fatigue, insomnia, chronic fatigue, skin rashes, numbing and tingling, joint pain, weight loss or weight gain, anxiety, hyperactivity, pain syndromes, menstrual cycle dysregulation and depression.
If you have these symptoms, it might be worthwhile to try eating gluten free to see if you feel better. But keep in mind that having any of these symptoms doesn't necessarily mean that you have a sensitivity to gluten.
What does gluten-free food taste like?
Six months ago when I learned that I had a gluten-sensitivity, i stuck to the basics, brown rice bread, plain quinoa and other tasteless gluten-free packaged foods. But I have discovered that eating gluten-free doesn't mean you have to eat tasteless food, there are so many delicious options! Especially living in a city like Toronto, with the kensington market just a few blocks away and Noahs and Whole Foods Market around the corner, there is no limit to gluten-free ingredients and ultimately to delicious gluten-free food!
What will I be posting on this blog?
I am always finding delicious gluten-free recipes and I love to share them, so my friends and family suggested that I start a blog of my favorite recipes and gluten-free eating tips, so that everyone can explore the world of tasty gluten-free food!