Showing posts with label cinnamon free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cinnamon free. Show all posts

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Apple Pie, Em's Way...

When I was 12, my mom taught me how to win the heart of a man...She taught me how to make apple pie! At the age of 13 I had already personalized my recipe for traditional apple pie, and at a silent auction fundraiser, one of my pies sold for $75!!! Of course, I was thrilled and amazed...the man that bought it had tasted my pie before, so I was hoping he really did like it.
Then, one day I learned I had gluten sensitivity... no more pies the way I used to make them. It was a hard fact to swallow. "Oh, well that's only one ingredient I have to change. I can find another flour to substitute", was my attitude. Months later, I found out that the swelling in my throat was related to food allergies...multiple food allergies. So many that I had trouble keeping up with the list. Over the years I have developed more...no more cinnamon, no more egg, no more corn, and on and on we could go... Does that mean I would give up on making a good apple pie? No Sir! One flop after another did dishearten me, and I wouldn't dare brag about my pies anymore. But finally the other day, something went right! I do hope it continues to go right! It's still not perfect, but it I was happy with it. In effort to preserve my creative compilation of recipes, I post them here. So, here is my newest: Apple Pie, Em's Way...
This pie is #glutenfree #cornfree #carrageenanfree #cinnamonfree #nutfree #dairyfree #gumfree #legumefree #annattofree #allergenfriendly #eggfree #organic #preservativefree #noaddedsugar




Apple Pie, Em's Way
You will need:
About 3 pounds or so of organic apples. I prefer Gala and Fuji combined.
1 1/2 or so of a cup of freshly milled brown rice flour. ***
1/2 teaspoon of Arm and Hammer baking soda.
1/2 teaspoon David's Kosher or other un-iodized salt that contains nothing but salt.
Somewhere around 1 1/2 cups of organic unsweetened applesauce. (I use Fresh Thyme or other store brand that does not contain any ingredients except apples.)
1/4 of a cup or so of California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oil.
Clear Pyrex pie pan.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. (Not necessary if using a toaster oven.) Peel, core, wash, and slice apples into quarters. Boil the apples with a small amount of filtered water until they are fork tender. Slightly mash with a serving spoon. Set aside for later. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together, then add applesauce and 1/8 of a cup of olive oil. Mix well to combine. Add more or less applesauce to make a wet dough that easily spreads with a spoon. Add the other 1/8 of a cup of olive oil to the bottom of the pan spreading it out gently. Spread 2/3 of the dough into the pan bringing it about halfway up the sides and covering the entire bottom with about 1/4 inch dough. Add the slightly mashed boiled apples to the center of the pie, leaving about 3/4 of an inch of dough around the edge uncovered. Mound up to desired thickness. Add 1/4 of a cup or so of flour to the remainder of the batter making it workable. Taking about one tablespoon or so at a time, gently work it flat with your hands and place on top of the pie. Lay enough pieces to cover most of the top of the pie, leaving a few vent holes. Bake at 425 degrees until the bottom and sides are browned. This is one reason I prefer to use a clear pyrex pan, so I can see the bottom. It takes somewhere around 30 minutes. Watch carefully that it doesn't overcook. Let the finished pie sit for a few minutes before attempting to serve or it will fall apart if it is too hot. Enjoy and don't forget to leave me your comments on how it turned out for you and your family!

*** I freshly mill my flour using a Wondermill. I use a 1:1 ratio of organic long grain brown rice, and organic brown basmati rice. Both are Lundberg brand.

For a printable PDF download of this recipe, click on the Paypal buy now button below! Happy Baking!

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

The Emotional Struggle of an Allergy and/or Gluten Free Diet

OK, it's that time of year...pumpkins, candy, apple cider...we all love the awesomeness of fall! But what most people don't understand is the torture that goes on inside the mind of someone with dietary restrictions! All these beautiful smells, and delicious looking food and drinks, that we are unable to have!!!! There are several solutions to this problem, including learning how to substitute flours, but for a moment, I just want to stand up for those of us with this problem by explaining to the world what we actually deal with on a daily basis!

You are walking through the grocery store, you smell the beautiful smell of cinnamon...Your mind automatically gets anxious because you know you are anaphylactically allergic to cinnamon...so you speed up your steps to get away from the smell you love that hates you. You are walking past the bakery to get to the meat and cheese section, when you get a whiff of fresh made cake, donuts, bread...You know there is probably a trace of gluten still airborne from the mixing and baking process that goes on in that open area... You remember all the times that you were sick for weeks from that trace amount of gluten you breathed in while hanging out near the bakery for a few minutes, just trying to get your shopping done... Your heart sinks because you are hungry, wishing you could have those delicious foods again.
You get to the cheese isle... your eyes quickly roam to find the cheese you are buying for your family, not yourself. You absolutely adore cheese, and really could use the protein and calcium found in it, but you know that if you eat it you will be sick for days... You just grab what your family needs and leave, trying not to spend too much time in that area.
You pass the meat counter...You see steaks, hamburger, pork chops, ham, fish...Your heart screams at you, as your mind constantly repeats (allergic, allergic, allergic!) Without hesitation, you pass on by.
The frozen vegetable isle is loaded with delicious choices. You take your time checking to see if there are any new ones, but all you can see that is safe is broccoli, kale...and that's it. You wonder if it will always be this way. You remember the days when you could have fresh corn on the cob, okra, or even green beans or peas...You long for the freedom you had then.
The canned food isle is a quick grab and passing for the only thing down there you can have is absolutely nothing...but the family can have pinto's so you grab a few cans and go.
You go through the rest of the isles picking up a few things here and there, mourning over all the delicious options that aren't options. You remember the days when you could have them. The cravings for healthy, filling, nutritious meals are severe about now. You are just about in tears, but you must look and act strong in front of your family...so you push on. The fake smile you wear hides the inner pain and frustration that is bottled up until that moment when you are alone to release it.
Finally, the last thing on your list, you grab some yogurt for the family. You know that without the yogurt your gluten free baking just won't be what it needs to be. You also know that you won't be able to have not even one bite of the goodies that you will be mixing up for your family. At the peak of frustration, you quickly check out and pay the hundreds of dollars for the few groceries you actually have been able to grab. You are relieved when you finally get into the car to head home, only to do the same thing again next week. 
You are so hungry by this time that you wish so badly that there was some kind of fast food or snack at a gas station that you could have, but instead you just have to deal with it till you get home. You know that there isn't anything safe.

So many people don't understand the emotional battle that those of us with multiple food allergies deal with. Most people say, "Oh, you are being overly careful." But what they don't know is all the hundreds of times when your body went into anaphylactic shock because you weren't careful enough. They haven't seen you doubled over in pain, and vomiting for hours because you ate gluten. They weren't there when you failed your exam because gluten made your mind so foggy you couldn't think straight in-spite of the weeks of study. And they haven't dealt with the extreme fatigue that brought you to depression...all because of Food Allergies and Gluten Sensitivity!

The BATTLE is REAL, Folks! You can't make these things up...and so many people suffer on a daily basis like this! We have to spread awareness! We must stand up for those who have Food Allergies, Celiac Disease, or Gluten Sensitivity! We must do our best to help others who are suffering to have their voice heard!
Do your part, whatever it may be, to get the word out!
Have a Happy, Healthy, Allergen Free, Gluten Free Day!
~Gluten Free Em~

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Applesauce Raisin Muffins Corn, Gluten, Dairy, Egg Free

It is fall!!!! My favorite fall memory has always been my mom's awesome baking spree for Thanksgiving. We would always get a pumpkin or two and she would roast it in the oven until it was soft and then freeze what felt like hundreds of pints size servings of it. (I had to take the bags out to the freezer in the garage. You know, errand running.)
One of my favorites was always her applesauce raisin cake. I loved it! I still love it! I always will love it! But because of my food allergies, I no longer can have it the way she made it, and taught me to make it. I have to substitute, but who cares, I still get to enjoy that flavor!
Here is the most recent recipe I have for the applesauce raisin cake. This one I made into muffins, you know a little less sugar and mess.

Takes only a few minutes to prepare and yields 12 muffins. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin papers. ( I like to use the unbleached ones that I find at Fresh Thyme or Whole Foods.)
1 cup of freshly milled Organic Brown Rice Flour
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Sweet White Rice Flour
2 Tablespoons or so of Tapioca flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon David's Kosher salt (any salt should do)
1/2 cup organic seedless raisins
3/4 to 1 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
A few small shavings of crystallized ginger (not a lot or it will be overpowering. We just want to get that spice flavor in there. If you can use cinnamon instead that would probably be better. 1/2 a teaspoon or so.)
2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar in the raw (Or brown, or white sugar. I just like the flavor of the sugar in the raw.)
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped golden flax seeds soaked in 1/3 cup of water. (I chop them in a smoothie cup, but a food processor will work. If you don't have any of these, you can buy the flax already chopped, but be sure to refrigerate it to retain flavor.)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (The oil must be fresh. If it isn't it will ruin the flavor of the muffins. I use California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil. It almost always tastes fresh and can be found at Walmart, Meijer, Kroger, and most other places. (Other types of oil will work, but this is the best)
Mix dry ingredient together first, then add applesauce, flax water, and stir with a spoon until completely combined. Do not over mix. Divide evenly between muffin cups. Bake till a toothpick entered into the center comes out fairly clean. About 15-20 minutes depending on your oven.

If you have an egg allergy, corn allergy, gluten sensitivity, cinnamon allergy, or milk allergy this will work for you!
I hope you enjoy trying out my newest recipe, and please share it with your friends and family. Remember, don't be afraid to be creative in the kitchen and mix something up today!
Have a Happy, Healthy, Gluten Free Day!
~Gluten Free Em~

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Green Apple and Ginger Bread

I have a juicer. Not one of those expensive ones, just one I got from Walmart for about $50. I recently mixed up a juice that my little ones loved! (Which for me is a great accomplishment.) They usually take one sip and set the glass down, but not this time. Anytime they ask for more, I know I made a hit! (One happy mom here!)
Here is the juice recipe so you can share it with your family!
8 medium organic granny smith apples
2 medium organic gala apples
2 organic carrots
10-15 large green grapes
1 1/2 inch fresh organic ginger root peeled
About 8 oz of fresh organic raw baby spinach leaves
Once I juiced it, I diluted with water to a 40:60 ratio with 40% being water and 60% being juice.

There is one thing about those cheap juicers though that really eats me up: they leave behind a tremendous amount of pulp. Wasted veggies and fruits, is how I see it. I am always looking for new ways to use the pulp so it doesn't go to waste.
Here's my newest recipe for you to try at home!

Green Apple and Ginger Bread 
(A fall flavor! I just love fall!)
You will need:
The pulp from the previous juice recipe.
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cup plain organic yogurt (I use Strauss Family Creamery brand)
Blend until smooth and no chunks of greens are left.
Then mix together in a separate bowl:
1 1/2 cups freshly milled organic brown rice flour (I mill mine out of Lunberg Rice)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (I use Arm n Hammer)
3/4 teaspoon salt (I use David's Kosher Salt)
Add dry ingredients to yogurt/pulp mixture, mixing well.
Add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I use California Olive Ranch)
3/4 - 1 cup organic raisins (I use Sun-maid Organic)
1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup Sugar in the Raw (Regular sugar will work if that is all you have, brown sugar is better, but raw sugar is preferred for the specific flavor.)
Bake in a 8-9 inch square glass Pyrex pan that has been generously oiled with extra virgin olive oil at 350 degrees until bottom and top are moderately browned. Toothpick inserted into the center should also come out fairly clean.
Let sit for 10- 15 minutes for the flavors to mellow, then serve warm! Enjoy this fall favorite with your family this season!
Happy Baking!