Who doesn't love a rice crispy treat? (oh yeah-and it's allergy free!)

Yesterday was the second in my series of Drizzle Kitchen Demonstrations at Williams-Sonoma on Michigan Ave.  It’s so fun to bring such a big topic into this giant of the culinary world and reach an audience that is growing by leaps and bounds each year.

Yesterday’s demonstration was on allergy free desserts.  Let me now answer the question most of you are asking yourselves at this moment- allergy free means free of the top 8 allergens the government recognizes as being most prevalent.  They are (in no particular order) wheat, soy, eggs, dairy, treenuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish. So, clearly the fish and shellfish are no biggie when it comes to baking (duh!). But, think about pretty much anything you’ve baked in the past and I am confident that it has included at least one of the other allergens!  So, the trick here is to make food that doesn’t taste like cardboard, doesn’t look gross or underbaked (most allergy free products have a tendency to look “grey” when baked as opposed to the beautiful golden brown we’re so accustomed to), and would appeal to people whether they have allergies or not.

So, bless my friends as they are my guinea pigs much of the time! My first big recipe that was successful was for black bean brownies. Now, I know my betty crocker lovin’ friends would look at me like I was an alien if I told them that’s what I was serving them.  So, I have learned now to simply tell them I made a new “healthy” recipe, in that instance I told them it was for fudgy brownies.  And they LOVED them!! Ha! So, after they had all taken a bite I giggled (evil) and told them the brownies were made with black beans instead of flour J

Well, years later I have tested multiple recipes that are allergy free and with all confidence I will tell you baking is the absolute hardest thing to do. There are so many factors-different combinations of flours (you cannot simply substitute 1 gluten free flour for all purpose), egg substitutes (a chia egg vs. flax egg vs. egg sub), different milks (coconut, rice, hemp) and then you have the fat (coconut oil, earth balance soy free, shortening, olive oil).  Not to mention that the food science behind baking is completely different in regards to structural development with allergy free baked goods.  Sound fun, right? Want to get started? Ha! Well, it’s actually not that bad once you play with a few recipes.  And that is exactly the message I want to get across to all my families that come to me with panic in their eyes and the fear that because their child can’t eat peanuts, gluten or dairy anymore that there will never again be birthday cake, bread or pizza.  So not true!! So, here are a few great allergy free recipes that I taught some panicked mothers yesterday.  They found them very helpful and easy and I hope you will too!!

Also- a BIG HUGE ENORMOUS thank you to Enjoy Life Foods for sending me some samples to pass out and use during the demonstration.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE their products and hope you will find some relief in knowing that if you want to buy cookies, chocolate chips, cereal or bagels that you can find a guaranteed top 8 allergy free product within all Enjoy Life foods. You can purchase them online or at any Whole Foods location.)

Nutty Chocolate Rice Crispy Squares

• 1 c. brown rice syrup
• 1 c. organic cane sugar
• 1 c. sunflower seed butter
• 5 c. Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice Cereal
• 1 c. Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine brown rice syrup and cane sugar in medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
2. Add the sunflower seed butter and stir often until all combined. Remove from heat.
3. Mix sunflower seed butter/sugar syrup mixture and Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice Cereal in large mixing bowl until all coated. Sprinkle in chocolate chips and stir.
4. Press into a greased 9x13 pan and allow to cool. Cut into squares and try not to eat more than 1…or 2….or 3! Yum!

Everyone loves a nutty chocolate crispy treat!

Coconut Cuppy-Cakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• ½ c. + 2 T. brown rice flour
• ½ c. + 2 T. buckwheat flour
• ¼ c. potato starch (NOT potato flour)
• 1 t. xanthan gum
• 1 c. organic cane sugar
• ½ c. flaked unsweetened coconut
• 1 t. baking soda
• ½ t. sea salt
• 1 c. coconut milk (light is fine)
• 1/3 c. light olive oil, vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 t. pure vanilla
• 1 t. white vinegar
• *optional addition of 1 c. Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips rather than frosting.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 baking cups with cupcake liners.
2. In large bowl mix together the brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, cane sugar, coconut, baking soda and sea salt. Whisk together to break apart lumps and blend.
3. In another small bowl mix together the coconut milk, olive oil, vanilla and white vinegar.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the coconut milk mixture in. Gently whisk until just combined.
5. Scoop into lined cupcake tins, 2/3 full.
6. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
7. Allow to cool 15 minutes in tins then remove to cooing rack to cool completely. Frost if desired with chocolate frosting.

Tomaaaayto, Tomaaahto

*Please note this recipe was written prior my gluten sensitivity discovery. The recipes below include gluten.

With the recent chill in the air it may seem unlikely that tomatoes are in season.  Well, let me tell ya the BEST tomatoes are in season right now!  And they are….drumroll….heirloom tomatoes.  By far the most fun and tasty of tomatoes.  “Why” you may be asking yourself at the moment.  You see, the word heirloom is an umbrella term and refers to many varieties of tomatoes that are all flavorful in their own unique way.  My favorites are the green zebra and any variety of purple.  Any color lends such a unique fresh color to your dish. As far as flavor, each variety is different and most have much less acidity than a standard tomato.  Here are 2 ways to use these lovelies before their season ends (super soon!).

Caprese Stack

• 3 heirloom tomatoes, variety of colors, sliced into 1” rounds
• 1 ball fresh water packed mozzarella, sliced into 1” rounds
• a few leaves of fresh torn basil
• crème di balsamic (you can purchase a squeeze bottle of grape must at specialty stores like Williams-Sonoma, Sur le Table and Whole Foods)
• few pinches sea salt and coarse ground pepper

Start your stack with a tomato and add a slice of mozzarella, places the slices a bit askew. Top with a piece of basil and continue the stack 2-3 more times. Make sure the top layer is a tomato.  Drizzle with the crème di balsamic and sprinkle with the sea salt and pepper. Mangia!

Panzanella Salad

• 3 cups torn day old –good quality- bread (1” chunks)
• ½ cup shredded basil (you can tear with your hands)
• ½ red onion, sliced very thin
• 2 cups chunked heirloom tomatoes, a few varieties
• 2 balls fresh water packed mozzarella, cut into 1” chunks
• ¼ c.-½ c. extra virgin olive oil
• 2-4 T. white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 2-3 pinches good sea salt
• lots of fresh ground pepper

Have all ingredients ready and prepared in separate containers.  Just before serving combine everything into one bowl and give it a good toss. Taste for seasoning and enjoy!

Men in spandex pants. Errrr-I mean football.

Football. The quintessential American fall sport that every household watches as a family while they wear their team colors, right?  Not so much for this little lady. I grew up in a household full of women, with a father who didn’t much care to spend an entire afternoon watching grown men wear spandex and chase after an odd shaped ball.  However, as I grew older I realized that people actually do spend entire days and even weekends watching said sport.  So I adapted the best I could and decided I wouldn’t pretend to be in love with the sport rather I would be the person to provide the perfect tailgate menu. OF COURSE! (I have applied that talent to any sporting event, truth be told..).

So, needless to say, I am heading to a friends house tonight to watch some football. And what am I going to do? Cook.  I am going to drink some fantastic wine and prepare some delicious food. Chive spike hummus, vegetable and 3 bean chili with cumin whipped greek yogurt, charred cheddar cornbread And I couldn’t be happier to be in the kitchen doing my own thing while cheers and whoops and sighs come from the living room while my friends all watch men in spandex chase after an odd shaped ball.

Chive and Spinach Spiked Hummus

Makes 2 cups

·      1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

·      2-4 T. tahini

·      ½ avocado

·      1 cup loosely packed chopped spinach

·      ½ red onion, diced

·      zest and juice of 1 lemon

·      ¼ cup olive oil

·      warm water (about ¼ cup, but you may wish to add more depending on the thickness of hummus)

·      2 T. chopped fresh chive

·      hefty pinch of salt and pepper

Add all ingredients from beans to olive oil to the bowl of a food processor.  Blend together and add ¼ cup warm water.  Add more depending on how thick or thin you would like your hummus.  Scoop into a bowl, add the fresh chive and salt/pepper.  Mix to combine and taste for seasoning.  Adjust with more salt, olive oil or lemon juice as you see fit and enjoy with your favorite vegetables or whole wheat pita!

A tiny taste of fall....

As promised, here is the recipe for the buttermilk apple bread pudding….and let me tell ya-it was delish! It’s taking all my will power to NOT go downstairs and make myself a big, warm, gooey bowl of it right now. But-alas-my full belly (just ate a humongous kale and aduki bean salad) is telling me it’s a better idea to wait until tomorrow. So, here I sit salivating while typing up this blog.

My friend Jessica came over last night to share in the glory of said apple bread pudding.  We had a great night, just us two gals.  It began with a fantastic bottle of a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, pretzel bread and brie. I mean, we could have just gone right to the bread pudding after that and been happy little campers.  But, sometimes I turn into an Italian Mama and really want to feed my guests.  And, anywho, the cool weather we were enjoying yesterday gave me a hankering for some roasted sweet potatoes.  So, at the last minute I decided to roast some chicken legs over a bed of shallots, whole garlic cloves and diced sweet potatoes.  Once the chicken was cooked, I removed the whole tray from the oven and placed the chicken on a separate plate.  Then I added some chopped baby spinach to the still warm pan and tossed the sweet potatoes, shallots and garlic with the spinach just long enough to give the spinach a slight warmth.  A drizzle of fresh lemon juice, some fresh shaved parm and we were off and running! Once Jessica tasted dinner she asked me how I made it.  I promptly gave her an explanation similar to the one I just typed and she looked at me with all seriousness, with that deer in the headlights look, and said, “I’m just gonna call it fancy chicken. K?” I actually almost peed in my pants-it was the funniest thing she could have said at that time.

So, now with the smell of cinnamon wafting through the air we were onto bottle of wine number deux. Still savoring our delicious dinner, we were laughing and reminiscing college memories when the timer went off for the bread pudding.  Oh-we were excited…it smelled so incredible in the kitchen, the tang from the apples and the cinnamon spice filling the room with yumminess. We couldn’t wait to dig in!

And so we did.  Very quickly I might add, even though we probably lost a layer or two of lining on the roof of our mouths, c’est la vie right? Small price to pay for the gloriousness of butter, apples, bread and cinnamon. Mmmmm. Just creamy enough, tart enough from the apples and just enough caramely-nutty topping to give it some crunch. And the tiny tinge of sea salt crystals, well, ‘nuff said.

Buttermilk Bread Pudding

Serves 10-12

Bread Pudding Mixture

• 3 eggs
• 1 flax/chia egg (1 T. flaxmeal or Chia + 3 T. hot water)
• 1 ¾ cup reduced fat buttermilk
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 T. vanilla
• 2/3 c. organic cane sugar
• 6-7 cups cubed whole grain bread (or gluten free!)

Apple Layer

• ¼ c. unsalted butter
• 4 apples, diced
• 1 t. cinnamon
• ¼ c. brown sugar

Top Layer

• 2 T. unsalted butter
• ½ c. light brown sugar
• ½ c. chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds. Or any combination of the 3!)
• ¼ c. whole milk
• 1 T. sea salt (I prefer Maldon)

Instructions

1. Lightly butter a 10” deep dish pie plate or 9x13 pan, preferably glass. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all bread pudding mixture ingredients except bread in a very large bowl.  Whisk to mix all together. Add the bread and gently toss with hands to coat all. Set aside.
3. While bread is soaking, sauté the apples.  First melt the butter in a large sauté pan.  Add the apples and sauté until they begin to soften, 6-7 minutes.  Add the cinnamon and brown sugar and continue to cook over low heat 2-3 more minutes until sugar is all melted and bubbling gently.
4. Pour half the bread mixture in the greased pan.  Pour half the apple mixture on top of that.  Add the remaining bread mixture and finally top with the remaining apple mixture.
5. Using the pan the apples were cooked in, melt the 2 T. butter for the “top layer.”  Add the brown sugar and nuts and stir with spatula to mix together.  Carefully add the whole milk and stir to create a creamy caramel coating for the nuts.  Pour evenly on top of the bread pudding. 
6. Place pie pan or 9x13 in oven and cook at 350 for 30 minutes, covered loosely with foil.  Remove the foil and cook another 15-20 minutes until browned and bubbling on the sides.
7. Serve plain, with a drizzle of extra buttermilk or with a scoop of vanilla gelato.

rain, rain go away....

I’m sitting in my office at home right now, drinking a glass of wine listening to the patter of rain hit the window.  I’m also thinking about the holiday weekend and the bowl of early season apples I picked up at the farmer’s market earlier this week.  With a potential girls night dinner (and the obvious wine that comes along with any good girls dinner) I am throwing around a million ideas for what to do with those beautiful red and green speckled gems. Cinnamon and vanilla bean applesauce with honey crème fraiche? Coriander and citrus spiced apple cobbler? Then I remembered the whole wheat bread scraps in the freezer….and the almonds I just toasted up….and the coconut milk I just bought….and the couple of extra eggs I had in the fridge.  I also thought about the fact that Chicago is about to have a 15-20 degree temperature drop (I mean, it’s not that big of a shock….that is, afterall, completely standard behavior for Chicago) and I felt like a homey, chewy, warm baked dessert  is just what the apple doctor ordered. 

So, apple bread pudding it is. And I might just throw in some toasted amaranth, maybe some millet. You never know…. In the meantime, until I make my soon to be tasty apple bread pudding, make do with this oatmeal and honeyed apple breakfast recipe. I love it for those mornings when you want to curl up with a good book, a steamy mug of freshly brewed coffee and a bowl of somethin’ tasty.  (and be sure to stop by again on Saturday for the bread pudding recipe!)

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Honeyed Apples

Dairy Free (Gluten Free if you get Bob’s Red Mill Oats)

Serves 2

1 t. coconut oil

½ c. steel cut oats

1 ½ c. boiling water

¼ c. + 2 T. unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 t. coconut oil

1 apple, cored and cut into 1” chunks

1 t. ground cinnamon (I prefer freshly ground Saigon)

2 T. honey (as local as you can find)

1 T. chia seeds

1 T. toasted almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a medium saucepan 1 minute.  Add the coconut oil and the oats and stir to coat.  Toast the oats 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the boiling water and cook 25 minutes, covered.  Do not stir
3. Add the almond milk and stir to combine.  Cook another 8-10 minutes.
4. While the oatmeal is cooking, prepare the honeyed apples.  Begin by heating a sauté pan 1 minute over medium.
5. Add the teaspoon of coconut oil and then the apples.  Saute the apples over medium heat until beginning to soften and brown lightly.
6. Add the cinnamon and toss to coat, cinnamon should be fragrant.
7. Add the honey and stir to coat.  Remove apples from heat.
8. Split the oatmeal evenly between two bowls.  Divide the honeyed apples up between the two bowls.
9. Sprinkle the chia seeds and the toasted almonds over the apples in the bowls.

Enjoy!