The Gluten Free Baking Queen By Ana L. Romano
I've been dying to share these amazing gluten free recipes with you guys. Trust me I know how hard it is when your GF and you have to grab something quick before you run out the door. That is why I have come up with a few great GF snacks that i'm sure you will just love! First up my favorite snack before jetting off to the gym
Sesame Snack Bar
These bars are the perfect balance. They give you protein and tons of energy, thats why I grab one of these mini treats before I run out the door to the gym. You're probably thinking that these look great and sound amazing, but "me cook. Ha your funny" okay, okay so you need to pre heat and open the oven I promise your manicure wont suffer. Btw: Sesame seeds are an excellent source of manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and zinc, and a very good source of vitamin B1 (thiamin) and dietary fiber. The nutrients found in sesame seeds may offer cardiovascular benefits, reduce inflammation in those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, support respiratory health, offer protection against colon cancer, osteoporosis and other conditions. So if you didn't think these were amazing before now i bet you do.
In food processor, pulse into rough meal: 3/4 cup unsweetened dried COCONUT 1/2 cup raw CASHEW NUTS
Gently heat (just to soften): 1/3 cup ALMOND BUTTER 1/3 cup HONEY 1/4 cup COCONUT SUGAR 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free VANILLA 1/4 teaspoon CELTIC SEA SALT
In large bowl combine: 1-1/2 cups raw SESAME SEEDS CASHEW MIXTURE ALMOND BUTTER MIXTURE 3 tablespoons CHIA SEEDS (optional)
Press firmly (I use the bottom of a glass) into an parchment-lined 8x8" pan. Bake at 300ËšF for 20 minutes. Cool and transfer to refrigerator. Once chilled, slice into small bars with a sharp knife. Or for fun shapes, use a cookie or brownie cutter. Store in refrigerator in an air-tight container. my next snack can be a afternoon snack or a quick breakfast. Its called the Healthy Chocolate Chip cookie or as i like to call it the
Skinny CoCo Chip
Okay so if you know me you would know that I am always on the hunt for a yummy sweet fix. I love cookies and I wish I could eat them everyday, but I struggle with three challenges: 1. The cookie must be GF, that in it's self is a HUGE challenge 2. Yummy, but healthy. I don't want to have to kill myself at the gym just because I ate 3 mislay cookies 3. WARM!!! if your GF you know what i'm talking about. I'd do just about anything for a warm cookie straight from the oven. This recipe meets all three of those non negotiable. They are GF, wont kill the waistline and WARM woohoo 3points for the GF Baking Queen!
Ingredients 10 pieces of any GF Bread~I used Kinnikinnick brown rice bread (ground in food processor to make fine bread crumbs) 2 tablespoons melted Butter or Ghee 3-4 heaping tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 2 cups (16 oz) Egg Whites 1 teaspoon Baking Powder 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract 2 tablespoons powdered stevia to taste 1/2 tsp Salt sprinkle of Cinnamon, Ginger or Nutmeg if you wish
Yummy Optional Additions a few handfuls of Nuts (I baked my batch with chopped walnuts) Toasted Unsweetened Coconut Flakes Some dried Cherries/Cranberries/Blueberries Chocolate Chips
Method Pre Heat oven to 350˚F. Prepare cookie sheet(s). Line with parchment. In a large bowl combine bread crumbs with all ingredients. Mix together well. Take a spoonful of batter and drop it onto baking sheet placing each cookie about 1 inch apart.. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes….until edges are a bit crispy & bottoms are lightly browned. Let cookies cool on racks. *TIP* I keep a stock of these in the freezer and place them the toaster oven to warm up when I'm craving a sweet yet healthy treat! The last GF snack I'm going to share with you is every one's favorite and my personal all time favorite snack
Gold Fish and Cheez-its
To me, they taste identical to the commercial crackers.The bonus: No artificial flavors or preservatives and zero chemicals that you cannot pronounce. Itʼs a feel good yummy moment.
Ingredients 4 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded (For a dairy-free, soy-free version, try using Daiya Cheddar Shreds…I also added a bit more cheese, about 4 1/2 oz.) 4 Tbs. Butter (for dairy-free: use Earth Balance buttery spread) 3/4 c. Cornstarch 1/4 tsp. Salt 1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder 2 Tbs. Milk (for dairy-free use your favorite substitute, I used a splash more so when I rolled out the dough with additional cornstarch it wouldnʼt become too dry) Topping: salt, dried herbs or spices if desired
Method Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine all the ingredients, except the milk, in a medium sizebowl. Mix until the mixture resembles a fine crumb. Add the milk and beat well.
On a lightly greased surface (I sprinkled the surface with cornstarch instead), pat or roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3/4 inch squares or another small shape that you like. You can also cut the dough into larger round or square shapes, just extend the cooking time. Prick the tops of the crackers with a fork and sprinkle lightly with your desired topping (I just used salt). Bake on the prepared baking sheet until golden brown and crisp, approximately 10 minutes (Mine came out perfect at 8 minutes with my convection oven). The crackers will be light and crispy, although barely browning at the edges. The bottom of the crackers will have a bit more color.