CeliacChicks

Naughty & Nice

This recipe is an unlikely hybrid of sorts. In order to create this recipe and make it  appropriate for my gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free situation, I adapted and then combined the works of two very different recipe mavens with polar opposite food philosophies.

A few months back, while it was snowing, I was moved to make a recipe for Cinnamon Coffee Cake in Elana (of Elana's Pantry) Amsterdam's Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. I made it once and it was good. 

Fast forward a few months later, and I watched a TV interview with Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) demonstrating her supposedly killer Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting recipe. She suggested adding insane amounts of cinnamon to the rolls and then to go crazy with the frosting.

As I was watching a little voice in my head went, "Me want gooey cinnamon rolls!!! Oooh, why not make Elana's Cinnamon Coffeecake in muffin tins to mimic the shape of cinnamon rolls, add loads of extra cinnamon, and then top it off with loads of Ree's Maple Frosting converted to Kelly-friendly?!!" This was followed up with a slightly jealous, "Plus, who really has the time to roll out cinnamon roll dough anyway?!"

Gluten-Free Recipes: Chocolate Mousse The Easy Way

Look at that texture!!

Do you want an impressive yet couldn't-be-easier dessert recipe that will make your guests roll their eyes into the back of their heads and moan? OK, I can help you. I actually discovered this on Pioneer Woman's blog and noticed it was naturally dairy-free. Who knew that originally chocolate mousse was dairy-free?!

Side story...
This recipe brought back memories of the Rimsky Korsicoffee House in Portland, Oregon. Rimsky's used to be one of my favorite places to take tourist friends and I almost always would order the chocolate pot de creme there. Once we took a girl visiting from Denmark there and when she went upstairs to the bathroom she let out a blood curdling scream as the classical music played on. Ah, good times! Those of you who have been there understand, and those of you who haven't, well, try to go if it is still around. "Keep Portland Weird!"

OK, let's get started.

Gluten-Free Recipes: Chocolate Scones

I had fun making this little set for my scone. That's my bag of Stumptown coffee in the background, sugar bowl full of birch xylitol and my favorite Seitan Is Evil mug. 

Here's a teaser recipe adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam. I started to make the cookbook's version of these, which are classic Chocolate Chip Scones, but chopping up the chocolate in my Vitamix made cocoa powder instead of the called for "chopped chocolate". Doh. I forged ahead with the recipe anyway and was pleasantly surprised by the extra chocolatey results!

I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about the idea of having to order expensive blanched almond flour online. I held off for awhile, tried using other almond flours, and then finally broke down and bought some. I tried to make myself feel better about the spendy purchase by silently saying to myself, "It is an investment in your health." Well, now that I've tasted the difference...I don't have to explain it away anymore. I've decided that the taste alone is worth it, and then when you figure in the health benefits of almonds, who needs refined flours and starches anymore?! The protein factor practically makes treats like these a meal. And you know I'm all about guilt-free treats!

CHOCOLATE SCONES

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup agave nectar, honey, or simple syrup made from xylitol

2 large eggs

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 chopped dark chocolate

Meet Elana Amsterdam At Friedman's

Elana Amsterdam, the leading lady of gluten-free almond flour recipes, is coming to NYC for a book signing at Friedman's Lunch!

In case you don't know, Elana is a totally hip mama that creates low carb, low glycemic, high protein and overall delicious gluten-free recipes and shares a lot of them over at her blog Elana's Pantry. I'm hooked on her easy chocolate chip cookie recipe, and Kim believes that her chocolate cupcakes are the best she's ever tasted. One of our co-workers isn't even gluten-free and she is in love with Elana's recipes.

Elana is excited to meet with us and sign copies of her recently published Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. You can either bring your copy, buy one at the event, or just stop by and say, "Hi." I've arranged for Friedman's to stay open a little later than usual in order for us to hang with Elana from 6pm-7:30pm Tuesday, Sept. 8th. [Thanks, Tryg & Vanessa!]

I'll be there with my copy! I'll tell you more about it in a little bit.

Friedman's interior, gluten-free sandwich, potato pancake, and burger w/fries.

So, don't forget...

Friedman's
next Tuesday, Sept. 8th at 6pm-7:30pm
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Ave
New York, NY 10011
212.929.7100

Please leave a comment below to let us know if you are coming.

Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let me introduce you to Elana of Elana's Pantry. I *heart* Elana's tasty, yet healthy, gluten-free goodies. I made these almond flour, vegan, chocolate chip cookies and flipped for them. Brought them into work and everyone else (the usual picky gluten eating crowd) flipped for them.

If you are the type of person that is turned off by the words "vegan" and "healthy", just trust me on this one. Seriously. Challenge me even. Go and do yourself the easy favor of baking these babies to prove me wrong. I'm confident you're going to like them.

Oh, and I made them with regular almond meal and they still rocked. Elana swears by this blanched Honeyville almond flour, but this is one of her recipes where you can do your own thing and use regular almond meal- like Bob's Red Mill or the one at Trader Joe's in the nut section.

Be sure to come back and tell me what you think of these. Oh, and be sure to check out Elana's new Gluten-Free Almond Flour cookbook!