what I ate today

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Squares + Mini Smitten Kitchen Cook Book Review

February 20, 2019 — Leave a comment

While attending dinner at my friend and his wife’s home recently, I casually opened up one of their cookbooks and immediately fell in love. The book happened to be the first cookbook of the legendary food blogger; Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. As  a foodie I had heard of the Smitten Kitchen blog but never followed it. Well, I must say after perusing several pages of the book I immediately fell in love.

Mini Review: The Smitten Kitchen

Deb’s recipes are simple, relatable and unfussy making them perfect for the everyday or occasional home cook. Deb’s prose is funny, personable, and amusing. I found myself taking screenshots of many of the recipes and quickly found that one of the most simple of them all was the recipe that I most wanted to try.

Deb took an American classic, Rice Crispy Squares and elevated them with simple real ingredients to make a delightful dessert that is not only simple but mouthwatering. This recipe for Salted Brown Butter Crispy Squares is the epitome of simple things are best and is now one of my favorite gluten free recipes.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Squares

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons vanilla
5 cups Rice Crispy Treats
1 (10) ounce bag mini marshmallows

Preparation

  1. Coat with non-stick spray an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.
  2. In a large pot, melt butter and vanilla over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently
  3. As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows.
  4. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Using a silicon spatula quickly spread into prepared pan.
  5. Allow to cool in refrigerator until  set (about one hour).

Source: Smitten Kitchen 

Glazed Banana Bundt Cake

January 16, 2019 — Leave a comment

I’m elated to be back in the swing of sharing recipe development and food photography for all of my loyal readers here in 2019. My return to basics begins with this luscious Glazed Banana Bundt Cake which I tastespotted on the interwebs a few days after the new year. Naturally, I had every ingredient in my pantry right along with frozen overripe bananas. This cake got rave reviews at a recent potlock and makes the perfect early morning or late afternoon treat with tea or coffee

Glazed Banana Bundt Cake

Ingredients

dry

3 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt

wet

1 + 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1+ 3/4 cup mashed banana (use overripe bananas)
2 eggs separated

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together dry ingredients, set aside
  3. In a Kitchenaid stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  4. Add in separated egg yolks and vanilla
  5. Slowly beat in flour blend and applesauce until completely blended
  6. Beat in mashed banana, use a silicon spatula of white sides of bowl ‘
  7. In a separate bowl, beat separated egg whites until stiff peaks form
  8. Fold egg whites into mixture as the last step (batter will be thick)
  9. Spray bundt pan generously with non-stick spray
  10. Slowly pour mixture into bundt pan
  11. Bake 45-55 minutes

Source: Life Made Simple Bakes

Scratch Bakeshop Does Gluten Free (and Vegan) Flawlessly | Gluten Free Restaurant Review

November 14, 2018 — Leave a comment

Scratch Bakeshop…

The female owned and operated boutique bakery founded on Park Ave continues to sling out “tough” cookies, naked cakes, french macarons and other pastries from their airy and trendy space now located in the Neighborhood of Art’s Russell Street.

Since their move to Russell, I’ve made my visits to “Scratch” a bi-weekly ritual of sorts on Sunday mornings where I stock up on their big chunky chocolate chip cookies, cherry chocolate chip muffins, and other confections that go well with brisk fall days and hot tea. However, Scratch is more than a boutique cakery nor is it your every day neighborhood baker. These ladies do it all from trendy layered naked cakes with fig fillings and instagram worthy cut out sugar cookies, to friendly moist muffins, pop tarts, and raspberry rhubarb donuts.

As the gluten free chef I look for all local bakeries to be able to do gluten free well and Scratch passes the test with flying colors. Gluten free and vegan at Scratch is not just a after thought or happenstance. It’s clear that these pastry chefs have studied and mastered the art of baking free of eggs, dairy, and gluten. I love that they create gluten free and vegan versions of many of the traditional favorites that most of us love but also infuse creativity and flavor into their gluten free -vegan creations with selections like cherry, blueberry lavender, apricot, and pumpkin fudge.  

A recent Saturday after dinner visit found me salivating over the Vanilla Cream Cheese Fig layered gluten free cake while my (also gluten free) brother tried his hand on this same cake with the addition of the delightfully delicious mini rice crispy treat. He was just as delighted as I was with his selections. Naturally it wasn’t a Scratch Bakeshop visit for me without the addition of a chunky gluten free chocolate chip cookie which in my view is the best chocolate chip cookie ever gluten free or otherwise.

In 2018 restaurants and bakeries need to be thinking about inclusion and food allergies. More than a trend for those like myself with the autoimmune disease celiac or other life threatening allergies; taking the time and the consideration to create food and pastry selections “without” the most commons allergens shouldn’t be an afterthought but just good business. Scratch Bakeshop is one of the few that takes the cake in this arena.

Rating 5/5

Photo credit: Scratch Bakeshop

Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies | Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies (Day 10)

December 22, 2017 — Leave a comment

Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies (Day 10)

I love a cookie with a crispy edge and a chewy center loaded with premium chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and crunchy macadamia nuts. My Cranberry White Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookies cookies scream “tis the season” and are perfect for dunking in milk or on the side with a mug of hot cocoa.

Cranberry White Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookies

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups gluten free all-purpose flour blend
3⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/3 cup unrefined sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup dried cranberries
2 cups white chocolate chips
3⁄4 cups macadamia nuts, crushed

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F and spray 2 cookie sheets with baking spray. In a medium bowl whisk flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer cream butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.
3. Beat in egg. Slowly beat in flour mixture. Fold in white chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Separate dough into 3 inch balls (2 inches apart) on cookie sheet.
5. Bake until lightly brown 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden.
6. Let sit on sheet for at least 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to completely cool.

Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies | Salted Cinnamon Sugar Caramel Apple Blondies (Day 3)

December 15, 2017 — 1 Comment

Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies

Day 3

I originally shared these beauties back in October 2015. I love blondies as they are the perfect marriage of cookie and brownie. These A+mazing Salted Cinnamon Sugar Caramel Apple Blondies are rich, decadent, and simple to throw together any time of the year.  Continue reading

Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies | Dark Chocolate Chunk Eggnog Cookies (Day 1)

December 13, 2017 — 1 Comment

The 2018 Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies Campaign

Can you you believe it’s that time of the year again! Only twelve days until Christmas 2017. I swear the times seems to fly by, especially when you are having lots of fun or in my case putting in lots of long hours working, writing, blogging and being chronically ill 🙂

I promise to share all that’s been happening over the last few months with you very soon. Im the meantime, let’s kick off our 2018 Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies Campaign

Let’s Review

Every day for the next twelve days we will feature a gluten free cookie recipe. Many of them will be originals but a few will be pinterest favorites and a few tried and true classics featured here on the blog or in my personal recipe collection. As far as I’m concerned, cookies make life sweeter and better. I’ve blogged about my love of eating cookies (notably chocolate chip) and it’s my hope that you like, love, share, and most importantly bake the cookies that made this year’s countdown.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Eggnog Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 tablespoons earth balance
1/4 cup Silk “Nog”
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Enjoylife Mega Chocolate Chunks

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
    Using an electric mixer, beat the earth balance and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggnog, egg yolk, vanilla extract and nutmeg; continue beating on medium speed until completely combined, about 2 minutes.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
  5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chunks.
  6. Using a small or medium cookie scoop (1 or 2 tablespoons), drop dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake from 20 to 25 minutes (longer for larger cookies), or until the edges are set and the centers spring back when touched lightly.
  8. Remove from oven and, using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Photo credit: Brown Eyed Baker

Gluten Free Product Review | Naked Whey by Naked Nutrition

December 11, 2017 — Leave a comment

Disclaimer: “Compensation for this post was provided by my friends at Naked Nutrition. Opinions expressed in the review are my own.”

It wasn’t until the folks over at Naked Nutrition contacted me about trying their brand new Naked Whey protein powder that I realized how little I actually knew about whey protein. This realization was ironic since I’ve been using a variety of whey based and plant based protein powders for the past six years. I never really realized that up until now I had only been basing my selection on the grams of protein per serving and not much else.

So, I’m happy to be enlightened and better educated on not only whey protein but the greatness that is Naked Nutrition’s all natural whey protein powder; Naked Whey.

What Is Naked Whey

According to Naked Nutrition’s website: “Grass Fed Whey Protein comes from dairy cows that have a 100% grass-fed diet. The milk from the cows is non-GMO, with no rBGH or rBST, and non-denatured. The resulting whey protein is soy free, gluten free, and grain free. Grass-Fed protein is used to build lean muscle and aid recovery.

Naked Nutrition’s patented process creates a non-denatured whey loaded with essential amino acids, glutathione, and clean protein. There are no additives like artificial flavors or sweeteners and they work directly with the farmers.

What Makes “Naked Whey” Different

What immediately struck me about Naked Whey is that unlike most whey protein powders that I’ve used it is free from a bevvy of hard to pronounce artificial ingredients, binders, and fillers. In fact, it contains only one ingredient: Grass Fed Whey Protein. That’s it! With 25 grams per serving (two scoops) you can’t get anymore natural than that.

The flavor is definitely very smooth and when combined with smoothie ingredients gives a very thick milkshake like texture. Still I like the overall flavor and mouth feel of Naked Whey. It doesn’t have a chalky or “fake” taste that other whey protein powders add to smoothies.

What Makes Naked Whey Better

Pure taste. Minimal ingredients and a commitment to keeping it clean. Naked Whey is the whey protein that you need in your life if you are someone looking for a standout whey protein powder. What’s even better is that Naked Nutrition has an extensive line of different protein powders and supplements that are a cut above the rest. There’s even two all vegan powders: Pea Protein & Rice Protein that I cannot wait to review very soon.

REVIEW

5/5

P.S: If you like me need a bit of schooling on “whey protein” check out my article: The Truth About Whey here

Photo credit: Naked Nutrition