Chocolate cake / conecakes

K enjoying her conecake

I couldn't bear to not make something fun for Halloween for my lil gal so I grabbed my daughters cookbook "Kids Cooking ; A slightly messy manual " By  Klutz.com 

They had a great recipe idea for frosted chocolate conecakes which I have made gluten free and lactose free.

Ingredients:

12 gf ice cream cones ( I used mini ones but alas they had wheat in them )

3/4 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup lactose free margerine

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup soy milk

1 tsp vanilla 

Pre heat your oven to 350F .In a large bowl  combine flour , sugar , baking powder , and salt

 In a sauce pan mix together magerine,  water and cocoa on low/medium heat so you don't burn the cocoa . When the mixture is completely melted slowly add to the flour mixture and blend well . 

Add the eggs,  soy milk and vanilla and mix again .

Place your ice cream cones into muffin sheet and fill with batter until 3/4 full leaving room to rise . 

Bake for 25-30 minutes . 

I used my remaining batter to make myself a cake . I used a 8" spring form pan and baked for 15-20 minutes. cut in half and added some icing . Yum for mum!

Icing 

1/2 container Tofutti cream cheese

aprox. 1 cup icing sugar ( I didn't write it down sorry! Just keep slowly adding the icing sugar until you get a good consistency) 

1 tbsp vanilla

*optional food colouring but I just didn't want to tempt fate with my 3 year old helping

This isn't a very chocolaty cake but its still nice . Wait till you try the brownies .....

Autumn soup

I am a big soup person and with harvest season here its time to experiment . This week I have made roasted
butternut squash with cauliflower and onion . The cauliflower really helps add a creaminess that I would have gotten from milk . I could have added soy milk I guess but wheres the creativity in that .

you will need:
1 butternut squash - cut in half take out the seeds and add a large knob of gfcf butter in the hole
1 cauliflower - cut into florets toss in olive oil
1 large yellow onion - diced
1L water or stock .you may want more or less depending on how thick you want your soup
curry powder*
pepper*
salt*

hand blender or blender

Roast the squash for 1 hour at 350F and the cauliflower for 30mins . Saute the onion until translucent then add 2 cups of water and let simmer .

Once the cauliflower is done roasting add it to the onion then add enough water or stock to cover them . When the squash comes out let it cool down enough so you can handle it . Should be soft and easy to scoop . Add the squash to the pot of onion and cauliflower, add your spices , make sure you have enough water (it should cover the veggies) stir then let sit at a medium heat for about 20 mins stirring occasionally .

After 20 mins you can start blending .

This makes a large pot . I like to freeze half of mine into portioned bags for later and share with family . Making soup ins't expensive or hard and is the best meal for those rainy days !

Happy cooking

* to taste

Tricky treats

As Halloween approaches my mind wanders to the candy being given out . Drool . Unfortunately many of them could potentially contain wheat / gluten . I am super glad to have found  website posted by Alison St.Sure . She put in a lot of hard work putting together a 2010 gluten free candy list . I would hug her if I could! http://surefoodsliving.com/2010/10/halloween-candy-list-gluten-free-allergen-free-status-2010/

Alison also provides a list of candy without the top allergens in it .

I really enjoy her site . Now I can have a happy healthy(ish tee hee ) Halloween .

Give away alert

If you love handmade knitwear please check out http://monpetitshoo.blogspot.com/ or find her on facebook and Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/amandamcmom ! I have purchase quite a few and given many as gifts and they are wonderful . Very cute children s hats and stylish adult ones too! She is definitely worth a look .

Sneak peek

I've been busy working and planning Ks 3rd birthday . She turned 3 yesterday so amazing ! I did manage to make a goat cheese sauce for my gf pasta topping it off with double smoked bacon from the british butcher shop  http://www.thebritishbutchershoppe.com/ new site coming soon . Be patient its worth it . Next off is a blueberry plum strudel . White rice and tapioca flour based .Recipes to come soon I promise . I have more to show but alas the photos are on my moms computer ! 

Happy creating people!

Pancakes

My morning was not going well .I'll blame the lack of coffee in my system . The pan was oiled and set to low to medium heat. The first 3 pancakes stuck and ruined my pan for the next batch . Even after that I was not defeated . Honestly I don't know why more people haven't tried to bake pancakes . It's way easier and they are done at the same time . If you have a silicone baking mat give it a try next time . If you don't have one go get one now what are you waiting for . Seriously go now . My burned / stuck on food days are over . Ok well you can still burn things but you wont be stuck scrubbing the burnt stuff off your pan just wiping your mat clean .

Cherrybrook Kitchens Pancake/waffle mix baked.

This product is Nut , dairy , egg , gluten free and made in a dedicated facility by Patsy and Chip. Patsy has multiple allergies so she understands how important it is to have a dedicated area  . This is a rice flour base pancake . They are quite light in colour but like I said they are baked so they are very thin cakes . Slight crisp exterior with a soft center . Very yummy even plain . Way to go Cherrybrook Kitchens !

B.L.T . Uhh ya

I love Bacon Lettuce and Tomatoes don't you . 

I'm one of those people whole will eat a tomato like an apple . Chomp chomp tomato all over my grinning face . Well this lovely recipe madness had me drooling like a fool . Who needs bread when you have awesome ideas like this one . Feel free to try . Its a big mess but soo yummy . I was even evil enough to fry my tomato in the bacon fat .  

Happy creating

Taste testing Beer & Sweet potato fries

So this summer with a lil help from my friends I discovered 2 other beers that are safe to drink . I was honestly shocked about the first one . BUDWEISER! Lo and behold its a rice beer surprise! Welcome back to my life . And the other Yanjing beer from china was very good . Quite a light beer good for those summer days by the beach . It does have barley but I seem to have no problem with it .

Next up is Alexia and their Sweet potato fries

Restaurant quality right from your oven . Crunchy exterior soft center delicious . They use a blend of corn, tapioca and potato starches and rice flour to get that crunchy texture . I picked these up at whole foods on sale for $2.99 . They also have a chipotle flavor as well  . Two thumbs up !

Mini Strawberry apple sauce cakes

Another cake . My Daughter has a cake theme going . It may be because she turns 3 in 12 days :)

This recipe is very simple . I used greased small tart tins to get the shape . 

Ingredients :

1 cup Bobs Redmill All purpose flour

1/2 cup Sweet Sorghum flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp Baking powder

1/4 cup vegan margarine

1 small kid cup of strawberry apple sauce = to about 1/2 a cup   

2 free range medium brown eggs

I just threw all the ingredients in my mixer so there really is no order to this list as we were just throwing ingredients in as we found them . That is what happens when your assistant chef is VERY YOUNG , but she is quite capable . Shes cracking eggs already (and washing up after to get the yuck off ) makes momma proud .Sniff . Anyways ... bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 but keep on eye on them . When you are done baking remove them from the tins and let cool on a rack . Top with you favorite jam! I used my triple berry again. They are spongy and moist and a great little snack . I think lil miss.chef  (tee hee ) had 3 that day .

Hope this has inspired you . Happy cooking!

Strawberry banana cake

I love how enthusiastic my daughter is about baking .Half the time I don't even have anything planned out I just start pulling out my flours n sugar and start rummage through my fridge . Lucky for you I had fresh strawberries and 1 lonesome banana . 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lard

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup white rice flour

1/3 cup sweet sorghum flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 banana -mashed

* 1/2 cup of walnuts would do nicely as well  

Heat oven to 350F . Cream lard ,sugar , vanilla and eggs together . Slowly add the flour and gently stir in the fruit . Pour batter into an 8" springform pan . Bake for 20-25 minutes .