Gluten Free Flax Seed Bread - Xanthan/Guar Gum Free

This is one of the results of my xanthan-free experiments. While the loaf did not rise large and fluffy, it was not heavy, and was moist and tasty. The flax seed forms a gum that replaces the need for any other binder.
I have been avoiding all yeast, sugar and simple carbs the past month in an effort to overcome a persistent UT infection - but I did have a couple of slices of this bread: toasted and spread with homemade sesame tahini. Wonderful!
So, health-wise, other than containing yeast, this bread is low in carbs (compared with other gluten-free breads that have a lot of starches added) and high in fiber. It does contain 3 eggs per loaf... so my egg-free friends aren't helped here. :(


1/2 cup warm milk or water
1/2 Tbsp. instant yeast
1 Tbsp. honey

Stir the honey into the warm milk or water. Add yeast and set aside to start foaming.

3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup flax seed, ground in blender
1/2 cup millet, ground in blender
1/4 cup buck wheat grouts, ground in blender

Beat eggs in a bowl until light colored. Add the flax and millet and mix well. Let sit a few minutes to absorb the moisture.
Stir the yeast mixture into the egg/grain mixture.

1 cup tapioca flour or starch
2 Tbsp sweet rice flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt
1/4 -1/3 cup warm water

Sift these dry ingredients together. Beat into the egg/yeast mixture alternatively with the warm water. If the batter seems runny, add a little more rice flour. If it seems too stiff, add a little more warm water. It should be slightly thicker than muffin batter.
(Too runny of a batter will fall when baking and have a very course texture. Too thick of a batter will not rise and produce a "brick of bread" rather then a loaf).

Scrape batter into greased 9x3 bread pan.

Let rise in a warm place until the batter is level with the top of the pan (takes 25-40 minutes). When the loaf is almost done rising, preheat your over to 400F.

Bake loaf for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and lay loaf on it's side to cool on a wire rack. Slice when cool and enjoy.

Xanthan Gum Revealed

For years I have done all my gluten free baking with xanthan gum. It was expensive but I didn't need much for each recipe and the results were good.

However, my husband and two of the children were always having intestinal problems. It was not the same as if they had eaten gluten or milk, but it was still troublesome and annoying.

By *chance* one day when I was posting a recipe, I googled "xanthan" to make sure I was spelling it right and I came up with all sorts of information on xanthan gum that I never knew before. Lights started going on as I read and I began to wonder if xanthan was actually causing a reaction in some of my family.

I had been thinking that xanthan was a natural product - NOT SO! In fact, I learned that reactions are common and that the bacteria that produces the gum is grown on high fructose corn syrup (YUK!).

After sharing the information with my husband, he said he wanted me to eliminate xanthan gum from our use. I agreed, but inwardly I panicked! I have already eliminated all dairy, gluten, nuts and soy from my kitchen and xanthan is what holds all my baking together!

Well, the first step was to buy some guar gum. This stuff is a natural product - ground from the seed of a plant native to northern India and Pakistan. It can cause intestinal problems in large amounts (like when it was used in diet pills in large amounts to create a feeling of fullness in the stomach - it was banned as a diet pill after it was proven to cause intestinal blockages or damage when used in large amounts). In baking, I substitute it for xanthan gum in the recipe, using slightly more that the xanthan called for. The texture of the dough or batter is slightly different and I have trouble making a nice loaf of bread. :( But I am working on it and experimenting with different recipes. So far, I have gotten bread that holds together and is moist, but does not rise as nice or large as with xanthan gum.
I have included links to a few articles that you may find interesting on xanthan gum. Then you can choose if it is something you want to include in your baking or want or if you want to use guar gum.
Jenny

www.celiac.com/articles/21710/1/Could-Xanthan-Gum-Sensitivity-be-Complicating-your-Celiac-Disease-Recovery/Page1.html

www.wisegeek.com/what-is-guar-gum.htm

www.wisegeek.com/what-is-xanthan-gum.htm

Blender Pancakes - Again

I know I have posted this recipe before, but here is an updated version with pictures:
This recipe starts with whole grains that are soaked for at least 12 hours (or up to 5 days). It is really one of my favorite recipes. I have given up eating almost all baked goods - except for Sunday dessert and these pancakes! With the soaked grains, they are very easily digested and full of goodness. I prefer when the grain soaks at least 3 days as I like the sourdough taste. I dry leftover pancakes to make canapes. I place them on the oven wrack on the lowest setting (I think my oven goes down to 150 degrees) and leave until crispy and dry. They are delicious dipped in garlicky olive oil and eaten with salmon and lemon. :)
You may want to thin your batter more then I have, depending on how thin you like your cakes.


1 cup whole brown rice
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 cup millet
3 cups pure water
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Combine the grains (you can go ahead and substitute any other gluten free whole grain for the buckwheat or millet) in a 2 qt container (I use a 2qt canning jar). Mix lightly and cover loosely (I use a coffee filter over the top of the jar with a rubber band to secure it). Let sit in a warm place overnight or up to 5 days - it has been my experience that any longer and it tastes too sour. If you are not going to use it after this time, just pop it into the fridge for a few days.

3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbsp honey
Combine with the soaked grains and liquid in the blender (depending on your blender, you may need to do this in two batches). Puree until smooth.

1 cup tapioca or potato starch
1 tsp guar gum
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Sift dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour the puree mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Spoon onto a hot, greased griddle. Flip when bubbles form and the cakes are golden brown. Delicious with blueberries.

Beanie Weinie Scallopini

Sorry - no picture. :(

This is the main dish that I took to our church potluck on Sunday. It is easy to put together and seems to be enjoyed by all.

1 lb GF hot dogs, smokies, or Mennonite sausage (I like mild Italian sausage)

5 medium potatoes, sliced thin

1 18 oz can, baked beans in tomato sauce (make sure they are GF)

1/2 cup medium salsa (or whatever heat you like)

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

-Cut sausage or hot dogs into bite sized pieces.

-Put all ingredients into a large casserole and stir well. Cover and bake at 370 degrees for 1 hour. I often use the slow-cooker for this recipe - cooking on high for 3 hours.

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake (*Corrected Version*)

This morning I needed a dessert to take to our church potluck. I needed something easy and quick to make - and that did not contain chocolate (I've had too much of that lately!). I thought a coffee cake would be nice, but I really did not have a good recipe for one. I didn't have time to search out a gluten free recipe, so I just googled "blueberry coffee cake" and copied down the first recipe that came up!

It looked easy to convert to GF... and it turned out beautifully! I neglected to take a picture of it before we left for church, thinking that I would take a picture of a leftover piece after we got home.

Well.... apparently it was a big hit! :) There was only crumbs left. It WAS really yummy!

BLUEBERRY STRUESEL COFFEE CAKE

1 1/2 cups rice flour

1/2 cups tapioca starch

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel

1/2 cup butter or other solid fat

1 cup milk or milk substitute

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 380 degrees.

Combine the flour, starch, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum and lemon peel (which is optional - I was out of lemons, so I just added a little lemon flavoring) in a mixing bowl.

Cut in the butter or other fat.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour/fat mixture and stir until completely moistened.

Spread batter in a greased 9x13 cake pan.

Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over batter and lightly press down.

Mix streusel topping and sprinkle evenly over berries.

Bake for 35 min or until set - a toothpick should come out clean or with a crumb on it from the center of the cake.

Cool for 30 min and then drizzle icing over warm cake. Enjoy!

STRUESEL TOPPING

2/3 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup rice flour

1/4 cup butter or other fat

1 tsp cinnamon (I used 2 tsp)

Combine to make course crumbs.

ICING GLAZE

1 cup icing sugar

1/4 cup almond flavoring

3-5 tsp milk or other non-dairy liquid

Stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Cow Pie Cookies

I know that my Mother would not like the name of these cookies...

but that is just how they look!

:)

They are a crispy cookie that taste like oatmeal - chock full of all sorts of yummy stuff.

Cow Pie Cookies

1 cup rice flour

1 cup tapioca or potato starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup melted butter, margarine or lard

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut (or mixed coconut and nuts like slivered almonds)

2 cups gluten free corn flakes, broken

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups raisins (or mixed dried fruit: dates, craisins, etc)

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~In a large mixing bowl, combine the first set of dry ingredients (flour, starch, etc.)

~ Add the melted fat, eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

~Stir in the coconut, broken corn flakes, chocolate chips, fruit and nuts (if using).

~Drop tablespoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheets. Wet the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass and flatten cookies.

~Bake for about 10 minutes or until set. Makes about 8 dozen 1 1/2" cookies.

Crispy Fish Cakes

This was in my "New Recipes To Try" folder - and last night I finally tied it out.

I put it to the family vote after supper and 9/9 voted to add it to our monthly menu plan from now on.

:)

I served it with a Creamy Dill and Garlic Sauce.

To add some extra flavor, I substituted a can of tuna for a tin of herring in hot sauce. It added just a hint of heat which was very pleasant. A few drops of Tabasco would add the same effect, I think.

Crispy Fish Cakes

1 large onion - chopped fine

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup cold mashed potatoes

1 lb leftover fish - boned and flaked or 3 cans of tuna in water, drained

2 Tbsp gluten free fish sauce (Nam Pla)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

salt and pepper

rice flour

seasoning salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

fine gluten free bread crumbs

oil and/or butter for frying

1. Heat the first amount of olive oil in a heavy pan. Add chopped onions and cook gently until clear.

2. Scrape the onions and oil into a bowl. Add the cold mashed potatoes, fish, fish sauce, egg, parsley and salt and pepper. Stir with a fork to mix ingredients. Chill to make it easier to handle.

3. Mix the rice flour with some seasoning salt. Shape the chilled fish mixture into 16 fish cakes. Coat first in the seasoned rice flour, then in the beaten egg and then in the gluten free bread crumbs. Place on cookie sheet until ready to fry. (I ran out of crumbs as I was doubling this recipe - I substituted the crumbs with a mix of rice flour and corn meal).

4. Heat oil and/or butter in a heavy pan and gently fry each fish cake until crispy and brown on both sides. Keep hot until served.

Oven method: This is what I used as I was making so many and it cuts back on the oil. Place the coated cakes on a lightly oiled cookie sheet (I used olive oil). Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip cakes and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until golden brown.

Creamy Dill and Garlic Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman's) or 1/2 mayonnaise and 1/2 sour cream

2-4 dill pickles, chopped very fine

3 Tbsp juice from the dill pickles

1 tsp dried dill weed

1/4 tsp dried garlic powder - or 1 clove garlic, minced (or more to taste)

2 Tbsp dried parsley

Mix well and serve. Keeps in the fridge for at least 1 week. Good with fish or as a veggie dip.