Garbanzo Cake (gluten free/dairy free)

In my quest for gluten-free baked goodies, I came across this recipe in a Mexican cookbook. It’s a great alternative to a sweet quick bread we almost never have anymore since we don’t like to torment Daddy with glutenous treats too often…unless it’s Spiced Pumpkin Bread that our kids usually beg me to make at least once a month--and more like once a week around the holidays. Each serving of this “cake” has 2.7 g. fiber and 9.2 g. protein! It's a very dense and moist quick bread-type cake. Our kids thought it was a big treat! They didn't realize it was a gluten-free bread...otherwise they may have been suspicious. With its sweet spiced flavor, you sure wouldn’t know it has a couple of cans of chickpeas stashed away in all its goodness—replacing the flour and adding additional moisture, fiber and protein! All the kids asked for more, but they’ll have to wait because this recipe only makes one loaf!

Ingredients:
2 -10 oz cans Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

(Cans of chickpeas around here are 16 oz., so you can use the leftover chickpeas to make a half-ish recipe of Hummus. Why not? You'll already have your processor out, and it'll make just the right amount to snack on while you're waiting for your cake to finish baking!)

4 eggs, beaten (or 1 cup of egg beaters)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon

If you're concerned about using cinnamon for any reason (like if your tongue goes numb like my friend's!), you could use a mixture of nutmeg, all spice, cloves, and ginger instead.

Grated rind and juice of 1 orange (since I didn't have an orange, I just threw in 1-1/2 TBSP frozen OJ concentrate and 1 tsp. of dried lemon peel)

Cinnamon sugar -- 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon
(or make spiced sugar using alternate spices)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove any noticeable chickpea skins, and put the remaining peas in a food processor (or blender) and process until smooth. (You may need to process the chickpeas in a couple of batches.) This is what it looks like when you're done processing--kind of dry looking but holds together when you press it.

Spoon the processed chickpeas into a bowl and gently stir in the eggs, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, orange rind, and orange juice. Grease a 1-pound loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

Pour the cake mixture into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and leave to stand, in the pan, for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, place on a wire rack, and leave to cool completely before serving. Or if you're like us, wait just another 10 minutes or so before diving in!) Serve with sliced fresh strawberries, pineapple or other fruit...or just sprinkle each piece with additional spiced sugar and enjoy.

(12 slices/servings)

The above recipe based on one from: The Complete Mexican, South American & Caribbean Cookbook

Lemony alternative:
Instead of using orange zest and juice, use the zest and juice of one juicy lemon. After the cake is done baking, squeeze more lemon juice over cake, and sprinkle generously with confectioners sugar.

Or try a chocolate version here.

Disclaimer: Please forgive me for the frozen berries in my photo. I went to grab some fresh strawberries from the fridge, and discovered that they mysteriously disappeared. If you know their whereabouts, please fill me in. Hey, what's that red stuff on your cheek, Jimmer? Oooh...and you too, Kathleen. Aha!

Stromboli Romano

This is a take on the Cheesy Pepperoni Roll and also incorporates a recipe from my mother-in-law for Romano Buns. It's a quicker version that has all the flavor and still doesn't require utensils to eat! What's not to love? Melted Swiss cheese and shaved ham. MMMMMMM--mmm!

2 loaves frozen bread dough, or your favorite pizza dough
12 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
dash onion powder
~3 TBSP mustard, any kind you prefer
10 oz. shaved ham (deli meat works fine)
1 egg

Thaw dough according to directions. When ready to handle, place dough on greased cookie sheet (lining with foil or parchment makes clean up easy). Flatten and stretch dough to about the size of the cookie sheet…or as far as possible to each of its sides.

Sprinkle half the cheese on one of the doughs, the other half on the remaining dough, leaving a 2-inch bare border. Shake a scant covering of garlic (or onion) powder and a sparse covering of mustard (right from the bottle) over the cheese layer. Distribute ham slices on top to cover the other toppings.

Fold bottom third of dough over the middle section, then fold the top third of dough over middle and bottom sections. Seal all edges by pinching dough together. Turn dough over on cookie sheet so pinched edges are down; roll end edges under dough slightly.

Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slits in the loaf every 1-1/2 inches or so. Let rest for 10 minutes. Brush top and sides with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes…or until golden brown.

Carrot Apple Bran Flax Muffins

In my attempt to avoid food chemicals and preservatives and provide more nutritionally beneficial foods, I've been checking out recipes and ideas on this site. I bought flaxseed meal and bulk oat bran a while ago, and I finally made these muffins yesterday. This morning the kids proclaimed, "We want these for breakfast every day!" They are very good and super moist! This recipe is right on the Bob's Red Mill Flaxseed Meal bag.

1-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup flaxseed meal (found in the baking section or in bulk food aisle)
3/4 cup oat bran (again, either in baking section or bulk foods)
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1-1/2 cups carrots, shredded
2 apples, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tins or line with paper baking cups; set aside. In large bowl mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots, apples, raisins and nuts (if desired). Combine milk, beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. Fill muffin cups 3/4 fill. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Yields 16 regular muffins.

Our kids recommend serving these muffins for breakfast with a little yogurt and juice!

NOTE: Since it's tedious to shred the carrots and apples by hand, I'd recommend using your food processor for this! Also, if you think you'll have left over muffins for more than a day, you may want to freeze them. Sixteen muffins and four kids = four muffins per day for four days! I think next time I'll double the recipe.

Bread!!!

How can you have soups and salads without bread? Well, I give my husband g-f bread or crackers now that he's been gluten-intolerant for a few years, but our kids love bread of all kinds. I had used our bread machine frequently to make mostly foccacia and pizza dough...but after about 10 years of marriage the machine broke down. Since we're avoiding gluten when we can, I figured I could live without replacing it. We haven't kept out ALL the gluten though...and the following recipes have been rated "winners" by our kids.

Cheesy Pepperoni Stromboli

I usually make two of these at a time so we can enjoy more throughout the week..if there’s any left!

1 loaf frozen bread dough (usually come in pack of 3)
Italian seasoning; or dried basil, oregano and thyme
4-6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1-2 oz. pepperoni slices, optional
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, separated
1 egg

Thaw dough according to directions. When ready to handle, place dough on greased foil-lined cookie sheet. Flatten and stretch dough to about the size of the cookie sheet…or as far as possible to each of its sides. Sprinkle dough with a scant covering of herbs, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, leaving a 2-inch border of bare dough. Fold bottom third of dough over the middle section, then fold the top third of dough over middle and bottom sections. Seal all edges by pinching dough together. Turn dough over on cookie sheet so pinched edges are down; roll end edges under dough slightly. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slits in the loaf every 1-1/2 inches or so. Let rest for 10 minutes. Brush top and sides with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes…or until golden brown.

Variation: Add…
1/3 lb. ground Italian sausage, browned

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

We love this one. In fact, we make it more than just around the holidays! Whenever we'd go to Costco, our kids would hover around the Great Harvest table and scoop up a couple cubes of the spice bread. Well, I truly can't tell much difference between theirs and this recipe. Since the recipe makes two loaves, we usually eat one fresh then slice and wrap the other in plastic and foil and freeze it. Having a spare loaf in the freezer when you get a hankerin' for it is certainly a gift.

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 – 16-oz. can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup craisins (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in craisins (or walnuts), if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, slide around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

Makes 2 loaves.

I originally found this recipe on Epicurious.com, but I have been unable to find it there recently.

Light Corn Bread

This recipe is from my mother-in-law. I like it because (unlike a real Texan) I prefer my cornbread sweet and moist—and this is it! Tip: While you are making one loaf, use another bowl to mix dry ingredients for another loaf. Put this mix in a plastic zip bag and all you need to do to make your next loaf is add the buttermilk…that you usually have left over in the container from making your first loaf!

1-1/2 cups white or yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 cups buttermilk

In medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients; mix well. Stir in buttermilk quickly, until moistened. Spoon into greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2” loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until golden and toothpick in center of loaf comes out clean (45-55 min.). Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove loaf to wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temp.

Check bread at about 40 minutes. If loaf is brown at this point, cover it loosely with foil for the remainder of baking time. This bread is very moist. Leftovers can be put in the toaster to heat. Good with soup and chili.

Corn (bread) Casserole

I got this recipe from a friend, Kelly, at our church. Kelly is the mother of 7 children (edit: make that eight!). She and her husband, Robert, are the King and Queen of Cooking Big. They make many of the soups served at our Lenten Soup Suppers. During one such dinner is where they brought this casserole. Our kids couldn’t stop eating it…so I had to get the recipe!

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 (~14.75 oz) can cream-style corn
1-8 oz. sour cream (light version okay)
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted

Put all ingredients in a lightly greased 9 x 9” baking pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for ~50 minutes. Double recipe and bake in a 9 x 13” pan—adjust time, etc. Serve with a serving spoon if hot. If serving cool, it can be cut with a knife. (It’s best warm!)