Gluten-Free (Yummy!) Waffles

Recently, my husband has gone gluten free. He was officially diagnosed with Celiac disease (an allergy to wheat, rye, and barely, meaning that he cannot eat anything that contains them in any form, including standard flour) about 2 years ago, but was really resistant to switching his diet. However, after years of health problems that are likely caused by this allergy, he decided in early December to go gluten free (GF).

I have been incredibly proud of him over the past month of adjustment. Alan has a love for sweet treats and snack foods, and the fact that he was able to stay away from all of the cookies, etc. that were around over the holidays was impressive. So, in order to be the loving and supportive wife that he deserves, I've been slowly but surely searching out new recipes for some of our favorite baked goods.

Breakfast for dinner tends to be a go-to in our house for busy week nights. Everyone loves a good, hearty breakfast, but who has time to make waffles, eggs, etc. on the average morning? Not me! So, about once a month, we enjoy breakfast for dinner. Last week, I tested out a new waffle recipe that I found over at Passionate Homemaking, which uses brown rice as a substitute for flour. It can also easily be made lactose-free and vegan, and can be made the day before (soaking the grains overnight results in increased absorption of nutrients).

The overall verdict was really positive. We really enjoyed the taste of the waffles, and the recipe was incredibly easy to put together. A "one dish" meal is always a plus for me, and this recipe just calls for throwing things into a blender - super simple!

I do plan on soaking the grains overnight next time. Our waffles had a bit of a crunchy texture because the rice hadn't been soaked, but this was not a negative. Even if you aren't eating GF, you should try this recipe - quick, easy, and nutritious!

Blender Waffles/Pancakes

1 3/4 cups kefir 
2 T olive oil  
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups brown rice (uncooked)  2/3 cup grain = 1 cup flour
1 egg (optional if batter needs thinning)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt, to taste


1. Place first 4 ingredients in blender; blend at highest speed for 3 minutes. (The batter should always swirl about a vortex in the blender. If it doesn’t, slowly add more liquid until the hole reappears. This is the secret to light and tender waffles.)

2. Cover blender; let stand at room temperature overnight or 12-24 hours. (Optional if you want to soak for added nutritional absorption.)

3. Preheat waffle iron at highest temperature, or griddle on medium high.

4. If needed, add egg here.

5. Blend in thoroughly, but briefly the last 3 ingredients.

6. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron, sprayed with olive oil. Bake about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes in waffle iron until crispy.

Hallelujah, Cornbread!

There is something you should know about me...I'm a cornbread-aholic. I LOVE cornbread, and have been trying to find the "perfect" recipe for about the past 5 years. Periodically, I would get close. But I never seemed to be able to find the recipe that had the right texture (dense, but light), a nice crunchy crust with a soft interior, and the flavor combo of sweet and salty that just may be the best juxtaposition in the world. Until now!

Hallelujah Cornbread!

The original recipe (from Cooks Illustrated) calls for buttermilk, but I have only ever used kefir (it works perfectly). Kefir, is a cultured product, similar to a yogurt beverage in texture, but way better for you - and it is 99% lactose free. It has all of those good probiotics that help regulate your system and increase your immunity. Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking has some good info on the benefits, and a recipe on how to make it yourself. I buy ours, and it can be found in the milk section at your grocery store. The flavored options are great for breakfast, and the original can be used as a substitution for buttermilk in any recipe. Now, back to the cornbread...

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet, and keep it in the oven until ready to cook.
2. Whisk the cornmeal., flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Push the dry ingredients up the sides of the bowl to make a well.
3. Crack the eggs into the well and stir lightly with a wooden spoon, then add the kefir and milk. Stir the wet and dry ingredients quickly until almost combined. Add the melted butter and stir until the ingredients are just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the greased pan (watch out for splatter from the hot EVOO!). Bake until the top of the cornbread is golden brown and lightly cracked and the edges have pulled away from the sides of the pan, about 25 minutes.

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated (2004, America's Test Kitchen)

Hoppin' John, Spinach Salad & Warm Cornbread - YUM!

If you happen to have a cast iron skillet inheritted from your grandmother - I suggest using that! My granny's is likely seasoned with about 40 years worth of bacon and sausage from Saturday morning breakfasts, and I'm sure that makes it even better.

One more note: if your dog is notorious for counter-surfing, be sure to put the leftover cornbread in the pantry before bed...we did not. Imagine my disappointment when I found a small scattering of yellow crumbs on my carpet the next morning, and no cornbread in sight!

Super Easy Meatless Monday

Like so many of you, we are doing our best to reduce the intake of processed foods, increase our veggies, and decrease our environmental footprint. One tactic that addresses all three issues at the same time is Meatless Monday. We eat a vegetarian diet at least once a week, although, our Meatless Monday is just as likely to be a Meatless Wednesday.

The great thing about this is that it starts our week off on the right foot. I've noticed that when we eat vegetarian meals on Monday, I am much more conscious of our veggie intake the rest of the week. Like all of my other week night cooking, I try to focus on simple, fast, and nutritious recipes that please the whole family, and also provide us with a balanced plate. (Speaking of which, don't you just love the new "food plate" that replaced the pyramid? It is so much easier to understand, and doesn't include "meat" at all, but rather "protein.")

Tonight we will be having one of my favorite Meatless Monday Meals - baked sweet potatoes (which some nutrition experts call the "most perfect" vegetable) with a mixed green salad topped with feta and pecans. It is so easy to prepare, but I've found a way to make it even easier! Being at work all day, I don't want to wait an hour for oven baked potatoes when I get home. I really don't like the results of microwaving potatoes - they seem to turn out so pitiful, with wrinkly skin - it's just sad. Enter the crockpot!

I've found that by prepping potatoes normally (punctured with a couple of holes to allow steam to escape, and then briefly rubbed with butter or a small amount of EVOO), I can wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil, place in a crock pot, and cook on low for about 4-6 hours. The result is a perfectly baked potato, and dinner that is ready to eat within minutes of getting home. Combined with a large salad of spinach/mixed greens, and anything from our produce drawer, we get a delicious, nutritious, quick meal, that is also incredibly inexpensive.

Check out The Produce Lady for more info on health benefits

  
Some Benefits of Sweet Potatoes:

• Excellent source of vitamin A, which is important for eyesight and healthy skin.
• Good source of vitamin C, which helps wounds heal and helps the body resist infection.
• Full of dietary fiber, which helps regulate the digestive system and lower cholesterol.

*Tasty Tip: Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. That is equal to a tablespoon of EVOO, or about 1/2 T of butter. Sounds like a good reason to top your sweet potato in a nice dollop of real butter - not margarine...that stuff scares me!

Let's end with a quote from the amazing Julia Childs..."If you're afraid of butter, as many people are nowadays, just put in cream!"