Most of our Christmas cookie favorites were converted to GF quite a long time ago. This year, I decided to work on a new recipe for my favorite shortbread. I have been following the AIP diet since 2019 and really wanted a cookie that will keep with the healthy choices I make all year long. This AIP version is Mandarin Orange Shortbread which has a subtle hint of orange and vanilla!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 C Cassava Flour (I use Otto’s Naturals brand)
- 1/4 C Arrowroot starch (Tapioca starch works as well but will not yield a crispy cookie)
- 1 Tbls Coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup Palm Oil Shortening
- 3 Tbls honey (65 grams if that is easier to measure)
- 1 Tbls Juice of half a Mandarin Orange
- 1 Gelatin Egg (1 Tbls gelatin dissolved in 1 Tbls room temp water, then whisk with 2 Tbls hot water until frothy, use immediately)
- Zest of one Mandarin Orange
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (make sure it is just vanilla without added sugars)
- 3 Tbls coconut sugar for dusting (optional)
Method:
- In a small bowl, combine the first 6 dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the Palm Oil Shortening, honey Mandarin Orange juice and gelatin egg and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until combined and fluffy.
- Add the dry mixture to the whipped shortening mixture in the mixer bowl and stir on slow speed until the dry mixture is incorporated. Then mix on medium speed to combine ingredients well and form a dough.
- Remove dough from work bowl to a piece of parchment. Form the dough into a log and dust with coconut sugar (if using). Roll the log up in the parchment and store in the refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove chilled dough from refrigerator and unwrap from parchment. Using a sharp knife, cut the log of dough into 1/4″ thick slices. Arrange slices on parchment lined cookie sheet. These cookies don’t spread much so you do not need to worry about too much spacing.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes.
- Turn baking sheet and bake for another 7-8 minutes until cookies are slightly starting to brown.
- Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely. Keep loosely stored for 2-3 days. If you store them in an air tight container they will soften and loose their crispy texture.
Enjoy!
Hoping for some “chocolate” shortbread this year? Check out the variation below using Carob. These really helped with my chocolate cookie cravings.
AIP Carob Shortbread Variation:
- Use 1/2 C Cassava Flour and 1/4 C Carob Powder (I use NOW Foods brand) instead of all Cassava Flour.
- Omit Orange juice and zest. Increase Vanilla to 2 tsp.
- Decrease honey to 50 grams.
- Dust with coconut sugar (still optional).
- Follow the recipe method above using these substitutes.
As the fall season comes into focus, we have good reason to enjoy soup again! This soup is full of end of summer vegetables and has become a favorite in our home. It also makes it easier to get the needed nutrients when following the AutoImmune Paleo (AIP) diet. You can add roasted chicken or other meats to make it a complete meal. Or enjoy alongside a salad for a light lunch.
Ingredients:
- 1 Head Cauliflower, trimmed and cut into large pieces including stem
- 3 Medium Zucchini (or 4 Small), chopped and seeds removed
- 2 Medium Yellow Squash (or 3 Small), chopped and seeds removed
- 1 1/2 Pints Shiitake Mushrooms, woody stems removed
- 4-5 large Oyster Mushrooms (optional)
- 1 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbls Olive Oil
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh Basil (can substitute Parsley if you prefer)
- 1 (15 oz) can coconut milk (full fat with no fillers such as guar gum)
- 32 oz bone broth or chicken stock
- 16 – 32 oz filtered water
- sea salt to taste
Method:
- Add diced onion with the 2 Tbls olive oil to a large stock pot. Cook on medium low until the onions are browned and caramelized, stirring occasionally.
- While the onions are cooking, wash and chop the vegetables. NOTE: You can choose to peel the zucchini or leave the peel on, I usually peel about half the green zucchini so my soup does not have a “green” hue.
- Once onions are caramelized, add the rest of the chopped vegetables to the stock pot along with the broth and coconut oil. Then add enough filtered water to the stock pot to just cover the vegetables.
- Simmer on low heat until all vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- When vegetables are soft, turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- While the soup is cooling, wash the fresh basil and remove stems.
- Add basil to soup pot. Using an immersion blender, blend the stock and vegetables until smooth.
- Add salt to taste.
This recipe makes a lot of soup and can be frozen in individual servings. You can also use it in casserole or baked chicken recipes as a mock “cream of mushroom” soup.
Enjoy!
NOTE: If you are not following the AutoImmune Paleo diet and can have dairy, simply substitute the coconut milk for heavy cream.
Just ask the waves
If they are stilled at the mention of His name
They’ll say my God is still the same
Ask the walls
If they still fall at the mighty sound of praise
They’ll say my God is still the sameWhen did He break His promise?
When did His kindness fail?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same
When did He lose His power?
When did His mercy change?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same, yeah
My God is still the same
Song Lyrics by Sanctus Real
Related Bible Verse: James 1:17 ”Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Wow, what a turn of events in life this week… We are all reeling from this new found threat, COVID-19. Though our world is now turned upside down, I am reminded of how unshakeable our great God is during times like these through lyrics for the song “I Will Follow” by Jacob Sooter and John Guerra:
When the sea is calm and all is right
When I feel Your favor flood my life
Even in the good, I’ll follow You
Even in the good, I’ll follow You
When the boat is tossed upon the waves
When I wonder if You’ll keep me safe
Even in the storms, I’ll follow You
Even in the storms, I’ll follow You
I believe everything that You say You are
I believe that I have seen Your unchanging heart
In the good things and in the hardest part
I believe and I will follow You
I believe and I will follow You
When I see the wicked prospering
When I feel I have no voice to sing
Even in the want, I’ll follow You
Even in the want, I’ll follow You
I believe everything that You say You are
I believe that I have seen Your unchanging heart
In the good things and in the hardest part
I believe and I will follow You
I believe and I will follow You
When I find myself so far from home
And You lead me somewhere I don’t wanna go
Even in my death, I’ll follow You
Even in my death, I’ll follow You
When I come to end this race I’ve run
And I receive the prize that Christ has won
I will be with You in Paradise
I will be with You in Paradise
Gluten Free Waffles from the Dorm!
We have big changes coming up this school year. Our oldest is headed to college! I wanted to share a few posts on how to keep your gluten free college bound students prepared for life in the dorm. College dining halls have come a long way in the last 20 years; however, there is always the issue of cross contamination with regard to baked goods. As we toured campus, we noticed the easy access students have to waffles and pancakes at the dining hall; however, these were gluten full treats! So, we purchased a mini waffle maker, stainless steel bowl, measuring spoons and measuring cup (along with the standard mini fridge!) for our student heading off to college this fall.
With just a little prep work and minimal ingredients, anyone can enjoy their own GF Waffles while away at school. The flour mix packet is very adaptable to pancakes as well. So, if students have access to a kitchenette with their own cooking supplies, this recipe works for GF Pancakes as well. See both recipe methods below!
Flour Mix (NOTE: Makes 2 Packets!):
- 3/4 Cup Sorghum Flour (3-3/4 oz)
- 1/2 Cup Millet Flour (2-3/8 oz)
- 1/4 Cup Teff Flour (1-3/8 oz)
- 1/2 Cup Tapioca Starch (2-1/4 oz)
- 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp xanthan or guar gum
- Optional: 3 Tbls ground flax seeds
- Optional: 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
Storage Prep for Flour Mix:
- In a large bowl, mix all flour mix ingredients together. Divide the mix in half (equal portions – we measured 5 1/8 ounces per packet). For storage, add 1/2 flour mix to a Portion Pack double zipper snack bag (or you can use a food sealing system if you have that available). Make sure to remove as much air from the packet as possible for storage purposes.
- Keep in a cool, dry place in your dorm room, out of direct sunlight for up to 3 months.
Liquid Ingredients (per Packet of mix above):
- 1/2 Cup milk of choice
- 1/4 Cup water
- 2 Tbls Oil (olive oil or coconut oil is best but you can also use melted butter or other oil of choice)
- 2 Tbls Apple Sauce (or 1 large egg)
Waffle Method:
- Add 1 packet flour mix to medium size bowl. Add all liquid ingredients to the flour mix and mix well with a fork.
- Preheat your waffle maker per the manufacturers instructions.
- Lightly spray waffle maker griddle with cooking pan spray. Add 1/4 cup waffle batter for mini waffle maker or 3/4 cup waffle batter for standard waffle maker. Cook as desired. It took our mini waffle maker 2 1/2 minutes per waffle.
- Remove waffle from waffle maker using chopsticks or other non-metal utensil to protect your waffle maker griddle. Repeat until all batter is used.
- Enjoy!
Pancake Method (if your dorm has a kitchenette it would be best to bring your own pots & pans to ensure they are free of gluten and other allergen ingredients):
- Add 1 packet flour mix to medium size bowl. Add all liquid ingredients to the flour mix and mix well with a fork. NOTE: you may need up to 1/4 cup additional milk or water for pancake batter).
- Preheat your pan or pancake griddle per the manufacturers instructions.
- Lightly spray griddle with cooking pan spray. Add batter and cook as desired. When you see bubbles forming on top of your pancakes, flip to cook the other side.
- Remove pancakes using a spatula. Repeat until all batter is used.
- Enjoy!
Gluten Free Root Beer Float Cupcakes!
Unbelievable! Yes, that is what everyone was saying as they enjoyed these wonderful cupcakes. Our oldest has graduated high school and we celebrated in grand style. Lots of food and friends. Everyone enjoyed the dessert bar! We served gluten free sugar cookies with school themed marshmallow fondant logos, fruit pie, “hot chocolate” cupcakes and these fabulous “root beer float” cupcakes. Top the cupcakes with Nicole Hunn’s very simple whipped frosting and you have a perfect ending on the day! We baked the cupcakes in sturdy paper liners with a fun polka dot theme from Paper Eskimo and used paper straws cut in half to decorate the cupcakes which added to the nostalgic idea of “hot chocolate with whipped cream” or “root beer float”.
Really, the chocolate cupcakes are just my GF German Chocolate Cake recipe. That cake is the easiest and probably only cake recipe that can be used in any pan, including cupcakes. As for the root beer float… I had to modify my GF White Cake recipe a bit as the smaller size was too delicate for the small size of a cupcake. So, for all of you wanting the recipe, here goes!
Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cupcakes!
GF Root Beer Float Cupcakes
- 2 1/2 cups GF Flour Mix (use the link for my recipe or a gf mix without xanthan gum)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup melted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tbls root beer extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup root beer (we used WBC Chicago Style Root Beer – a very robust flavored soda!)
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners, or set out 12 sturdy paper liners on a low rimmed baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine first 4 ingredients and set aside
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the melted butter and sugar together for 1 minute.
- Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, beat the mixture on high until pale yellow, about two minutes.
- Add the vanilla and root beer extracts and beat until combined.
- Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides. Add the reserved flour mixture in three additions alternating with the 3/4 cup of root beer. Beat on low speed until combined. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides again. Beat again for thirty seconds. The batter will appear curdled for a little while until it all comes together. That is normal. Be careful not to over mix. It is better to turn off the mixture after thirty seconds and fold the mixture by hand so you do not over mix which may cause your cupcakes to fall in the middle while baking.
- Fill cupcake liners no more than 3/4 full. (These should have a slightly rounded top and will rise to the top of the liners, so be careful not to overfill!)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. I used Nicole Hunn’s The “Best” Vanilla Frosting from Gluten Free on a Shoestring.
Enjoy!
Such an easy fondant to make, and none of the challenging ingredients you see with packaged fondant! Use this versatile fondant dough to make those creative cake and cookie creations… Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 200g mini marshmallows, any brand
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, plus extra in reserve for kneading (look for corn free if you have allergies/issues with corn/corn starch)
- 1 Tbls water
- Palm Oil Shortening
- Food Coloring, powdered or gel versions work best (look for artificial colorant free brands or try these natural ideas from Enjoy Life!)
Method:
- Set confectioners sugar in a medium sized bowl and set aside. Keep extra sugar on hand in case your mixture gets too sticky.
- Place marshmallows in medium size pot and toss with 1 Tbls water to dampen. Place pot over low heat on stove-top. Stir marshmallows until melted, constantly. NOTE: you can do this is a microwave. Just make sure to microwave in 30 second intervals and stir well in between.
- If making colored fondant, stir in some food coloring at this point. NOTE: if you are using a liquid food coloring, you may need to add more confectioners sugar in the steps below.
- Stir 1/4 of the confectioners sugar into the melted marshmallows. When incorporated, add another 1/4 more of the confectioners sugar, stirring well between each addition. It will stick to the spatula, this is normal.
- When half of the sugar has been worked into the marshmallow, transfer the mixture to a clean and dry large bowl. Use the shortening to generously grease your hands and begin to knead the remaining sugar into the fondant. It will be very soft and puffy, but as you work in the rest of the sugar the fondant will firm up and become dough-like. Keep kneading until all of the sugar has been incorporated.
- At this point, transfer the fondant dough to your countertop to knead. I usually set a working mat on the counter to help with cleanup. Cold countertops also help with this step if you have marble or granite style in your kitchen. To get rid of the powdered sugar from the outside and to keep it from drying out, knead a teaspoon or two of shortening into the fondant dough. If your fondant is still very sticky at this point, put it back in the bowl and add confectioners sugar, a TBLS at a time, until it is easier to handle.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a zip-lock bag. Allow to rest until completely cool, about an hour.
- When ready to use, grease your work surface well with shortening. Knead your fondant to make it pliable again. Roll out to desired thickness. If it has been a while and the fondant is really stiff or hardened, you can try to soften by placing it in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in short bursts (ie 2-5 seconds at a time, be careful as the sugar will be hot to the touch if you microwave too long and can burn you).
This fondant has a wonderfully smooth texture, very forgiving and takes coloring very well. I have used it for decorating cakes and for making designs for the top of cookies. We used cookie cutters for the logo designs in the picture above. You could also use it to make fondant flowers if you have the tools available. A basic color flow icing for cookies and cakes will help adhere any of your creations to the pastry you choose.
Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake
Our family really loves cake… well, who doesn’t! Until now, it has always been either vanilla or spice cake that steals their hearts. Recently, I made an awesome German Chocolate Cake that stole the show. They may never go back… it is that good! Trader Joes has a Dutch Process Cocoa that is the key ingredient to this cake. Their cocoa is safe for those with nut allergies, which can be hard to come by.
Ingredients:
- 15 Tablespoons (level) Dutch Process Cocoa
- 5 Tbls butter
- 2 ½ cup GF Flour Blend
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 cup melted coconut oil or butter
- ¾ cup plus 2 Tbls milk of choice
- 1 Tbls apple cider vinegar
- 4 Lg eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Method:
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add Dutch Process Cocoa and stir constantly until smooth and melted together with the butter. Be careful not to burn the mixture! Once smooth, remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large bundt pan (oil with shortening and then dust with rice flour, tap out excess rice flour) and set aside. Note: You can use two 9 inch round layer cake pans lined with parchment paper if you wish to have a traditional layer cake.
- In a large bowl, combine the GF Flour Blend, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup, combine the milk of choice (we used coconut milk) and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 1 minute. Then add melted coconut oil.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until lemon yellow in color. Slowly add sugar a little at a time and beat until mixture turns pale yellow and thickens.
- Beat in cooled, melted chocolate and vanilla.
- Add flour mixture alternately with liquid mixture to the egg/sugar batter in two additions, stopping to scrape down sides each time. Mix at medium speed for one minute more.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Place pan in center of oven and bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (baking time for round layer cake would be about 40-45 minutes).
- When finished baking, remove from the oven and turn upside down on a cooling rack, keeping the bundt pan on top of the cake. This will help the cake cool slowly, release from the pan clean and keep the cake moist. Cool completely before slicing.
Once completely cool, the cake can be drizzled with frosting or dusted with powdered sugar or sweetened cocoa powder. This version of German Chocolate cake does not include the sweet coconut/pecan frosting, but you will not miss it! It is awesome served with vanilla ice cream or salted caramel ice cream… even whipped cream and berries would make any celebration memorable!
Enjoy!
Gluten Free Cheesecake Cranberry Jewel Cookies
I hope you had a great Christmas and are ready for the new year! This Christmas our family spent the week back in Chicago. It was a great time as we have been missing the snow and frosty weather we know during Christmas time! While we were away, I was able to bake some of our favorite Christmas cookies at Grandma’s house (shortbread and gingerbread cookies for sure!) It truly is great to have all the resources on line through our site and many others to call upon when away. We all wanted a sugar cookie to add to the festivities. So, I did a little looking around and found this great Cheesecake Sugar Cookie recipe at Gluten Free on a Shoestring. The dough was really easy to work with and we all really enjoyed them. I kept remembering a Cranberry Jewel Cheesecake from long ago and wanted to see how the cookies would turn out with a “jewel” topping. So, upon our return, I got to work and look at the result! Just the right amount of tang from the cream cheese in the cookie, married with the tart cranberry topping was perfect. These will be a great addition to our Christmas Cookie lineup for years to come. Merry Christmas, 2016, to all!
Gluten Free Cheesecake Jewel Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 batch of Nicole Hunn’s Gluten Free Cream Cheese Cutout Sugar Cookies
- Your favorite icing (or use Nicole’s Cream Cheese frosting recipe she includes with the cookie recipe)
- Cranberry Jewel Topping:
- 1 bag whole cranberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
Method:
- Combine all four Cranberry Jewel topping ingredients in a small saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook until the cranberries begin to pop. Remove from heat and cool. Once cool, strain the cranberry sauce through a fine sieve or food mill to remove the berry skins, making sure to press down on the berries to extract all of their juice. Cover topping and set aside to cool completely. Topping will thicken when it is completely cool.
- Make and bake the sugar cookies according to directions, set aside to cool completely.
- While cookies are cooling, make your favorite icing and place in a parchment decorating bag with a small round decorators tip.
- To frost the cookies, line the entire outside of the cookie with an icing border. This will help the cranberry jewel topping stay in place.
- Then add two teaspoons of Cranberry Jewel topping to each cookie. Use the back of a spoon to gently spread the topping smoothly over the surface of the cookie and up to the icing border.
- Set aside to allow the icing and topping to stiffen. Store cookies on counter for two days or in the freezer wrapped in plastic wrap.
Enjoy!
Gluten Free AngelFood Cake!
I almost forgot to share this recipe with you after our awesome 4th of July ice cream cake! The vanilla angel food cake is delicious on its own, with a warm fruit topping or layered in the ice cream cake recipe. It is a lesson in patience to make angel food cake from scratch… building the egg whites first to soft peaks, then stiff peaks… sifting and folding the small amount of flour very slowly, multiple times over. It is all worth it when you have such a light cake to enjoy at the end of the day. Give it plenty of time to cool. Perfect for your Labor Day grill festivities! Enjoy…
Gluten Free Vanilla Angel Food Cake
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup cake flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 11 large egg whites (about 1 1/2 cups) – reserve yolks for another use
- 2 tsp warm water
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Powdered Sugar (optional)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set aside a clean, dry angel food cake pan (tube style pan with a removable bottom)
- Sift the first 3 ingredients into a medium bowl 5 times (yes, you must sift it 5 times!)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a wire whisk, whisk the egg whites until frothy.
- Add 2 tsp warm water and the 1 tsp cream of tartar. Continue to whisk until soft peaks form.
- Then, gradually add the remaining 1 cup sugar and vanilla, whisk until stiff but not dry. Batter will be almost to the top of the bowl by now!
- Remove the work bowl from the stand mixer, gently sift the reserved flour mixture over the stiff egg whites in 1/4 cup increments. Then, using a spatula, gently fold the sifted flour into the stiff egg whites. Here’s where you need patience! Don’t go too fast or hard with your “folding motion” or you will deflate the stiff egg whites. Slow and gentle is all you need.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared angel food cake pan. Bake in center of the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the top springs back when touched lightly.
- Remove cake pan from oven and turn the pan upside down, place the center tube of the pan over a narrow bottle neck or funnel. Cool upside down completely.
- Once completely cool, use a serrated knife to cut around the sides and center of the tub to loosen the cake. Then remove the bottom from the pan and cut the cake away from the bottom of the cake pan. Transfer to a platter, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
We also enjoy this wonderful dessert with blueberry sauce or mango lime sauce. It is awesome!
