Pumpkin Pancakes (Dairy and Wheat Free)

Wanna know what we had for breakfast this morning?  We're always looking for new breakfast recipes, and this one did not disappoint us!

Wanna know how to make 'em?
Pumpkin Pancakes

Combine in a large bowl:
3 1/2 cups brown rice flour

½ c ground flax**
1/4 cup raw sugar

1 1/2 TBSP baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt

In a separate bowl, stir together with a wire whisk:
3 cups water
2 cups pumpkin (1 can)
3 eggs
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  (Not over-stirring pancake batter is the trick to fluffy pancakes!)

I did 1/3 cup at a time on my griddle preheated to 350 degrees.

This made 24 4-5 inch pancakes!  I froze half of them on a cookie sheet. Then I put them in a bag so they won’t be stuck together when I want to use them.

* Based on our egg free years, I think you could easily use 1/2 c flax mixed with 1/3c water and no eggs.

**You can omit this and use ½ c more flour if your prefer.  I find that flax just seems to really do well with brown rice flour.

This recipe is adapted from Elizabeth's recipe over at Yes They're All Ours. I just made it work for our allergies and it worked beautifully!

Wheat Free, Dairy Free Pancakes, Anyone?

Because starches (other than corn starch which I can't use here) are expensive and because I'm stubborn, I'm always trying to prove that recipes can work without the typically recommended 3:1 flour: starch ratio.  And on pancakes, I've done it.  Thankfully so, because I make pancakes at least twice a week here!

2 eggs
Enough water to get to 2 cups after eggs are in bowl... 2 eggs + water = 2 cups.
1/3 c oil


2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c sugar (I use turbinado)
1/2 c ground flax
1 T baking powder
1 t salt

Mix wets, add dries and whisk JUST UNTIL MOISTENED!  This will be a thick batter, more like a quickbread than bisquick. (Those pancakes below are 5/8" thick or so.) When I'm "pouring it," I use a spatula to help it move onto the skillet in the portions I want.  Let sit for one or two minutes and pour onto skillet (350 degrees here).  Flip when bubbles are popping or bottom feels firm when tested with a spatula. 

            

I get 12 5" pancakes from this batch.  If I overmix, they are rubbery and thinner (because I have to use single acting baking powder that is corn free).  But if I mix just enough and get them all on the skillet right in the first batch, they are perfect!  If you have to do two batches, just do your best to stir as little as possible in between.

 

Because everyone who has a food allergy kitchen likes options, here are some:

Omit flax, just cut water down by 1/2 c.

Omit eggs, just use 2 c water.

Use xanthan or guar as appropriate (I skip it and it's fine).

YUM!

Oatmeal Bars

These are a new favorite breakfast around here.  They're easy and can be made from ingredients I can buy at Wal-Mart!

Oatmeal Bars:

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water  (original recipe calls for milk)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil         
• 3 cups rolled oats
• • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup ground flax or other flour
  
  
  Optional:

1/4 cup chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped or grated apple
• Use 1c honey and omit the sugar.
• Use applesauce in place of oil for low-fat option.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. (Mine do best when they get to cool for 10 minutes or so.) Cut into squares.

*These are not firm like a granola bar, though the second day they could be eaten on the go.  My kids cut them into bites or just lean over their plate!  They clear almost the entire 9x13 in one breakfast.

Yes! Great Gluten-Free Bread!

After 2 years of trying, I finally have a recipe worth sharing!  I've done this three or four times now and it's worked every time.  Best of all, Mattie likes it!

3c warm water

3 eggs

1/4c oil

6T honey (or sugar)

3 1/2c brown rice flour

1/2c ground flax

1c tapioca flour

1t guar gum

2 1/2t salt

1t baking soda

1 packet yeast

Preheat oven to 150-170 and turn off.  Grease loaf pans.  (This recipe yields 3 4x8 loaves for me.)
Combine and whisk all wet ingredients.  In small bowl, combine and stir (whisk or fork) together all dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk together quickly, stopping as soon as well mixed.  Immediately pour into loaf pans.  (It will be the consistency of a quick bread batter.)  Allow to rise in warm oven until half again as large at most.  With pans still in oven, turn oven on to 350 (mine cooks at 325 on convection) for 30 minutes.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes before cooling the rest of the way on cooling racks.

*I have also baked only one loaf and have frozen the other two until the day I was ready to bake.  In that case I took the frozen batter (frozen in the loaf pan) and set it out to thaw and rise.  Bake just as above.  This batter thaws out enough that you could freeze it in any container and pour it into the loaf pan to finish rising and baking.

*I use guar gum because it is cheaper than xanthan and easier to get my hands on.  It is also corn free, so it's safer for use in our kitchen.  You could easily use xanthan instead.  I think it would be 2T of xanthan gum.

*When I use the dark flax seeds, it adds color to the bread.  Mattie likes that it "looks like Jacob's bread!" so I'll keep doing it this way.

*Even if it does rise well, it will rise some as it bakes and still be just as good.  Don't think it's a failure!

*This bread stays fresh at room temperature for 3 or 4 days.

Our Favorite Allergy Cake

I've been making this cake for quite awhile now and it always turns out! It's really good!

Allergy Reduced :) Chocolate Cake
(It's not wheat free, though I'm sure Jen would be up to that challenge!)

1 3/4 c flour (I use freshly ground soft white flour)
1/2 t salt
1 c raw sugar
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda

5 T oil
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 t vanilla

1 c cold water
1/2 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch pan.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir well with a fork, then add oil, vinegar and vanilla. When dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened, pour in cold water and stir until batter is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes (18-20 for cupcakes) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I've made this as cupcakes, a cake, and replaced the cocoa with a bit more flour to make white cupcakes too. It always works out without being crumbly like most egg-free cakes are. I usually double it and get 20 cupcakes or so. Today I tripled it, got 24 cupcakes and an 11x7 cake.

Enjoy!

Allergy Free Banana Muffins

I actually made muffins this morning that both of my kids can have... and they taste good!

I decided to try one more time before I gave up. I didn't have the heart to make muffins that one of them couldn't have.

Here's what I did based on my favorite recipe that always works...

Whisk (or sift) together in small bowl:

2c brown rice flour

1/4c tapioca starch

1/4c potato starch

2t guar gum

1t salt

1t baking soda

Mix together:

1 1/2 c raw sugar

1/2 c shortening

6T ground flax (or 3 beaten eggs)

2c mashed banana (could substitute 15 oz pumpkin and spices on can, or applesauce and cinnamon)

Add dry to wet and stir just until moistened. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes for loaves, 25-30 minutes for muffins.

Recipes

I've been meaning to post these recipes for quite awhile now. In an effort to cook as allergy (corn, dairy, egg and wheat) free as possible, that means cooking with no prepared seasoning mixes and using plain old non-preservative ingredients. here are several mix recipes I use regularly (and a couple I haven't used yet). Most of them I've gotten and tweaked to our tastes or allergy issues. All of them are egg, corn and dairy free (if you omit the bouillon in the onion soup mix recipe) and all but the taco seasoning mix are wheat free as well (and that could be altered).

I make them up and store them in tightly sealed containers (jars or big spice containers from Sam's) until I'm ready for them!

The Make a Mix Cookbook has lots of baking mixes as well that I'm beginning to use. She does have seasoning mix recipes, but those are also readily available online.

Italian Dressing Mix
Makes about 4 batches.

1 T garlic salt
1 T onion powder
1 T white sugar
2 T dried oregano
1 t ground black pepper
¼ t dried thyme
1 t dried basil
1 T parsley flakes
¼ t celery salt
2 T salt

To prepare dressing, mix:
¼ c white vinegar
2/3 c canola OR olive oil
2 T water
2 T dry mix

Use as a salad dressing or yummy marinade! Shake well before using.

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Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Makes 4 batches.

½ c dry minced onion
1 T + 1 t onion powder
1 t celery salt

At cooking time, mix 3 T seasoning mix with 4 t beef bouillon or bouillon paste and use as you would onion soup mix.
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Mix with 2c sour cream for French Onion Dip.
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Mix with 4c water for onion soup.

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Taco Seasoning Mix

¼ c all purpose flour
½ c dried minced onion
½ t granulated garlic
1c chili powder
2 t dried oregano
2 t ground cumin
4 t salt

Use 1T per 15 oz can of refried beans
Use ¼ c per 1lb ground beef

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Buckwheat Pancake Mix
Makes about 6 batches of 16 five inch pancakes

5 c buckwheat flour
5 c brown rice flour
2 T guar gum or xanthan gum (optional)
4 T baking powder
1T + 1t salt
3 1/3 c sugar

For 16 (5 inch) pancakes, mix:
1 ½ c water
½ c unsweetened applesauce
2 2/3 c mix

Cook on lightly greased (350 degree) skillet if preferred.

optional: add 1/3 – ½ c blueberries, nuts or chocolate chips

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Chili Seasoning Mix
Makes about five batches.

1/3 c all purpose flour
2/3 c dried minced onion
3 T chili powder
2 T seasoned salt
1 T crushed dried red pepper
1 T instant minced garlic
1 T sugar
1 T ground cumin

Mix:
1/3 c seasoning mix
1 lb browned ground beef or turkey
2 15 oz cans kidney beans
2 16 oz cans crushed tomatoes

Cook in skillet for 10-15 minutes or on low in slow cooker as long as desired.
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Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix
Makes about five batches.

6 T instant minced onion
2 T green pepper flakes
2 T salt
2 T starch
1 T instant minced garlic
1 ½ t dry mustard
1 ½ t celery seed
1 ½ t chili powder

Mix:
7t seasoning mix
1lb ground beef
1 1/4 c water
¼ c tomato paste