Gluten Free Isn't Always Inspiring---But There Are The Exceptions

        

       It’s funny how when searching the internet for one thing you often come across something else that peaks your interest…or 50 other things if you get into that loop!  I am in the midst of planting my garden, and have some Black Valentine Heirloom Bean Seed to plant. However the package does not tell me if they are bush or pole/runner beans and that’s truly a need to know for my small garden spaces. So on to Google to find out. But one there, up comes this recipe and since we’re going to friends’ this evening for a little cook out, and I had all the ingredients on hand, I whipped up a batch to try.

         Being gluten/wheat intolerant, I’ve tried lots of recipes for gluten free baked goods. I have yet to find a gluten free bread, homemade or purchased, which gives me the magnificent crunchy crust and buttery inside of homemade French bread of other artisanal breads …there is just no substitution for gluten in bread. The more the better!  The Gluten Free Bread recipe  which I previously posted is one of the best I’ve found, but that is always precluded with a “but”….

         However, along the way, I have found some delicious recipes for gluten free items that blow my mind. One is the Moist Chocolate Quinoa Cake posted in a previous entry.  Now I have come across this amazing Black Bean Brownie recipe. Moist, tender, chocolaty deliciousness, and can be made as a vegan treat my omitting the eggs and substituting water. The ingredients are easy to find and readily available (another problem with gluten free recipes), and by using the food processor takes only minutes to make. This recipe can and should be served to guests, friends, family, and anyone who loves brownies, whether gluten free or not. And for an added zing, make a light glaze using powdered sugar, espresso powder, cocoa powder and water to drizzle over the top once the pan of brownies is completely cooled., and allow to harden to a crunchy sweet deliciousness.                                   

         Just remember…do not use seasoned black beans, i.e. Cuban Black Beans, in this recipe. I’m not sure, but I imagine you would not be happy with the results! 

Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies

(adapted frommylittlecelebration.com.)

 makes about 12 brownies, 350 degree oven)

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can (1 3/4 cups) of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2.5 tbsp. flax seed meal 
• 2 regular eggs or 6 tbsp. water for vegan alternative
• 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raw or brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Instructions

1.    Lightly grease an 8 inch square cake pan or 12-slot standard muffin pan, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees

2.    Combine flax and water in your bowl or food processor. Mix briefly and let rest for a few minutes to hydrate.

3.    Add all remaining ingredients and blend well until batter is very smooth. Add water by the teaspoon until the batter resembles the consistency of cake batter

4.    Spoon into batter into muffin tin or pan evenly.

5.    Bake until the edges pull from the sides and the top appears dry (about 20-26 minutes).

6.    Let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgey, so don’t be concerned if they seem too moist – that’s the point. 

7.    Store in an airtight container or refrigerate to keep longer (they probably won't last that long, though).

These brownies run 140 calories each, and pack a lot of taste in addition to 163 mg of fiber, and 5g of protein. Granted, they aren't health food, but they are gluten-free and began with the egg-free alternative (which is a lot to ask for from a dessert that still tastes great). Even better, this dessert will pass the taste-test with your non-vegan, glutinous friends - which means you can still enjoy food with them, and not worry about intestinal distress later. 

The Diversity of Receiving Bountiful Baskets (bountifulbsket.org)

At last I remembered to order our Bountiful Basket on Monday. It’s been quite some time since we’ve had the joy of getting up early on Saturday morning and picking up our “surprise package” of fruits and vegetables from Sally and Tanya, but finally today it has been received.

And what a package!  Beautiful curly leaf lettuce, celery (whoo hoo as I’d just used the last of ours last night), potatoes, gorgeous crisp red bell peppers, Roma tomatoes (to go with the curly leaf lettuce and some basil  and sorrel from the Farmer's Market), bananas, kiwi, pears, pineapple, mushrooms, oranges, and last but absolutely not least Dragon Fruit!

Neither Roy nor I have tasted Dragon Fruit prior to today. I knew what it was, but Roy was so excited about this “weird” looking fruit, so he got on the computer and looked it up. It is low in sugars and filled with

Vitamin C, phosphorus, fiber, and antioxidants, a powerhouse of goodness for  you. Ours was perfectly ripe per the description on the web site, so we were ready and raring to cut it open and try it.  A cactus fruit, it MAY grow in our zone with some extra care and protection, so he wants to order one. I’m game!  It is so beautiful and exotic looking when whole…a beautiful dark pink/red color with soft light green spikes coming out from the skin in various places. And then you cut it open and WOW.  The outside skin of magenta surrounds a creamy white center exploding with tiny black seeds.  The taste is mild—a bit like a kiwi but not so sweet as a ripe one nor as tart as a not-quite ripe one. Nice consistency…not mushy but not crisp or crunchy either.   Good for you, nutritious, delicious, a treat for the eyes and palette…sounds perfect to me. 

So I got right to work making breakfast, after Roy came to me rubbing his stomach and in Japanese telling me “my stomach is empty”.  First, the potatoes--sauteed lightly in olive oil with a touch of butter, I seasoned them with a pinch of 

 Panch Phoran (aka Bengali 5 Spice if you're looking to purchase, but the recipe is easy and here on the blog), salt, pepper, and turmeric--then cooked them until golden brown. Also added some mushrooms.  Served with two over easy eggs (with a puddle of Chalula hot sauce on them—Roy can’t eat eggs and most other foods without it), along with banana and kiwi slices, a wedge of Dragon Fruit, and a toasted biscuit from dinner last night, it put a big smile on Roy's face when he sat down to eat. It didn't go away after tasting everything either!

    This was a new adventure for us in food, with a fabulous ending (they don’t all come out as good).  I think it's important that everyone at least try all fruits and vegetables at least once.  They're good for you, help control weight, supply not only vitamins and minerals but anti-oxidants and enzymes that you can't get by taking a vitamin pill, and they expand your palette--especially good for children.  I’ll let you know if/when we get ours and keep you informed of how it grows here. Winter will be the test, so you’ll hear more about our Dragon Fruit experiment in the future.

Tapas Night

           There are times when you really don’t want to take on a big meal, and your frig is full of leftovers that you need to incorporate into a meal.  Well, that scenario says “Tapas” to me!  I love the small plate meals that originated in Spain. Pieces of toast were perched on the top of wine glasses to keep out flies and ingenious tavern owners started putting a couple olives, or a piece of salami or cheese on top and that evolved to little plates served with the drinks. In this manner, people can have 1 or 2 bites of this and that, trying each one and rejoicing in the variety of tastes, textures, and spiciness, until feeling utterly satisfied. This is one reason people like buffets…you see the menu and you think you want a burger, but then you see the coconut shrimp, or Chicken Picata, or…but you don’t want to spend the money nor have all the leftovers (because you can't possibly eat 4 different entrees) it would take to purchase 4 different dishes that you seem not to be able to make up your mind and choose just one.  Tapas is perfect.

           Locally we have a wonderful tapas restaurant, El Gato Azul. Great atmosphere, delicious small bite plates, fabulous wait staff (Maurice is a jewel) and a great sangria. But being on a tight budget, that’s a real treat for us to do.  By doing it at home, you have a delightful array of foods to choose from without the guilt of going out.

           To that end, I looked at the leftovers and things we had on hand, and came up with Crab Stuffed Avocados (this did not come out too great…need to rework it as has  great potential), Stuffed Mushrooms, Greek Marinated Garbanzo Beans, Stuffed Celery,  and Spicy Mushrooms.

             So tonight when you're wondering what to do with the this and that's in your refrigerator, set up for a trip to Spain and serve Tapas!!

Stuffed Mushrooms,

 I used some corn chex cereal (gluten free) and crushed it for the bread crumbs, added the chopped stems from the button mushrooms, some garlic and minced onion, thyme, crumbled feta, and small diced salami.  Sauted onions and garlic along with mushroom stems, salami, and thyme, then removed from heat and let cool a minute. Then added the feta and stuffed the mushrooms. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake until mushrooms are done. Serve warm.

Greek Marinated Garbanzo Beans

Ingredients

15 ounces garbanzo beans, 1 can, drained
or cooked dry garbanzo beans

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup Brown Rice Vinegar

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1 clove garlic, pressed

3/4 cup celery, sliced, with leaves

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ t. chili flakes

Directions

Place olive oil, red onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper into medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, add vinegar, soy sauce and garbanzo beans, basil oregano and chili flakes. Bring back to a simmer stirring occasionally, turn off heat, cover pan and let sit until room temperature. To store, put into glass jar in refrigerator. To serve, drain marinade off garbanzos and put into bowl with a small spoon. Sprinkle top with fresh parsley flakes.

Spicy Little Mushrooms

1 lb button mushrooms

¼ lb. butter

½ cup Worcestershire sauce

1 T. sugar

1 T garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

2 t. paprika

½ t. cayenne pepper

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat, add mushrooms. Stir until coasted. Add worchestershire sauce & spices. Mix again, cover & cook for about 15 minutes or until mixture separates.  Serve hot. 

STUFFED CELERY

1 8OZ package cream cheese, room temperature

2 teaspoons honey (I used black walnut honey)

3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

2 Tablespoons lavender pepper

Put room temperature cream cheese into medium mixing bowl. Drizzle with honey, put int walnuts and mix until completely incorporated. 

Prepare 2-3" pieces of fresh clean celery. Using a small off set spatula, spread cream cheese mixture completely along celery. Sprinkle top of each with a pinch of the lavender pepper. Arrange on serving platter, Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.