GFCF Pumpkin cake

I avoided baking with pumpkin, but I'm not sure why. It's actually very convenient. Canned pumpkin (Libby's) is ready to use and affordable. I modified my basic cookie recipe to make a pumpkin cake that's really very healthy, and also could be made into cookie bars.

SORRY -- that I left out the key ingredient in my original posting of this. This version includes everything. The ingredient I forgot? -- pumpkin, of course.

Ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour (or brown rice or chickpea)
1/2 cup tapioca flour (or other starch)
1/2 cup sugar (or other sweetener)
2 tbsp ground flax, golden
2 tsp xanthan gum (or guar gum)
2 tsp baking powder (corn-free, if desired)
1 tsp sea salt (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tbsp. canned pumpkin (I used Libby's)
1/4 cup molasses, honey or cane syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup Darifree or other milk sub

Mix the dry stuff well. Then add the liquids. Mix. You want this to be smoother, but not liquidy.
Beat with blender until mixed, scraping the sides.

Pour into an 8x8 cake pan, greased with shortening (Spectrum organic).

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

GFCF banana bread with hidden veggies

Since Christmas, I've been tinkering with recipes based on ideas I found in a new cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry's wife). This is not an ad and I don't benefit either. But, the premise is interesting: hiding veggies and fruits in everyday food so our kids get the nutritional benefits. This especially is a problem for kids on the autism spectrum, as many of you know. So, I thought I'd give this a try. Neither of my kids are big on veggies or fruit, and they're very rigid about the ones they will eat. So, I've had a few successes and I will share. I will not reprint Seinfeld's recipes here. But, I've modified a few for GFCF land. Here's one that was a big hit tonight for banana bread -- with cauliflower.

Ingredients:
- Spectrum organic shortening
- 3/4 cup sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1/4 cup potato starch
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 egg whites or 1 flax egg
- 1 large banana
- 1/2 cup pureed cauliflower
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/4 cup liquid DariFree or milk sub

Puree the cauliflower by steaming or cooking 20 mins. Cut off stems. Puree in blender, food processor or hand mixer.

Heat oven to 350. Coat loaf pan with the shortening.

Mix the dry ingredients.

In a bowl, mash the banana with a fork, then puree with an electric mixer. Add cauliflower mix. Add egg and oil and milk.

Pour into pan. Bake for 30 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

I serve with icing on top. Or, without the icing for lunches.

Marking it gluten free - finally

Happy New Year everyone! I learned some cool things about everyday foods over the holiday. I've just been in awe of how major companies -- who are driven to find any market edge possible -- have not latched onto the "gluten free" thing yet.

Anyway, I see Tyson chicken is now labeled CLEARLY on the front as being free of antibiotics and hormones and additives. And, it was only priced 20 cents-per-pound more than the store brand. Very cool.

And, our Honeysuckle turkey also had a big "Gluten Free" label slapped right on the front for all to see. So, I bought that simply because of their effort.

I just don't understand why more companies are not taking advantage of this market by making the simplest of efforts -- noting what's gluten-free and what's not. My suspicion is that they don't want to start down the path of revealing what's in their foods.