Glazed Banana Bundt Cake

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

Top 5 Best Hemp Protein Smoothies | Guest Recipe by Scott Reid

Hemp protein is the perfect ingredient for making healthy, vegan and gluten-free smoothies which can be enjoyed by anyone. Whether you are on a health boost or looking to make your diet more plant-based, adding hemp protein into your diet is a great starting point.

Hemp protein powder is created at the very end stage when hemp seeds are being processed. The seeds are pressed for oil, and the remainder of the seed left behind is then ground down into a kind of hemp flour.

This flour is then processed further to create hemp protein powder. Hemp seeds contain virtually all the amino acids which are found in meat and dairy making them a pure source of protein and a really good addition to any vegetarian or vegan diet.

The protein found in hemp seeds is also really easy to digest and for our bodies to absorb, making hemp protein powders a really great beneficial ingredient for any diet.

Hemp protein powder is perfect for adding to smoothies because it tastes good and can come in a number of different flavoured versions as well. Check out this one from Focus Performance for a very good flavoured option https://www.focusperformance.co.uk/products/hemp-protein

You can try them in a number of different types of smoothies so try out these five great recipes as a starting point:

Hemp Protein with Peanut Butter Smoothie

If you love chocolate and peanut butter then this is the perfect smoothie for you, with a combination of nutty and sweet flavours. Packed with goodness, flavours and energy, this smoothie makes a great breakfast, providing a powerful and energising start to the day.  

Ingredients

  • Eight tbsps. of chocolate flavoured hemp protein powder
  • Two tbsps. of peanut butter
  • Two chopped, frozen bananas
  • Two cups of almond milk
  • Ice

Directions

Put all of the ingredients apart from the ice, into your blender and blend well. If required, add more ice and blend again. If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, then you can remove the bananas and increase the ice content. It will be a more watery consistency but still tastes good.

Hemp Protein with Pear Smoothie

If you are a fan of green smoothies you will love this combination with the bitter flavours of spinach sweetened up by the pear and banana. Packed with vitamins and healthy nutrients, this smoothie will set you up for the day.

Ingredients

  • One frozen banana
  • One chopped pear
  • One cupful of spinach
  • One tbsp. of ground almonds
  • Two scoops of hemp protein powder
  • One cup of water

Directions

Add all of the ingredients into the blender –as a quick tip put the spinach in last so it doesn’t get tangled around the blades. Blend until smooth and then serve.

Hemp Protein with Spirulina Smoothie

Renowned for its health benefits, spirulina works perfectly with hemp protein powder to create a tasty and incredibly healthy nutritious drink, for an extra boost.

Ingredients

  • One and a half cups of almond milk
  • One banana
  • One tbsp. of spirulina powder
  • Three tbsps. of hemp protein powder
  • One tsp. of maca powder

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients into a blender and blend well until smooth. Serve immediately over ice to taste.

Hemp Protein with Cacao Smoothie

Perfect for chocolate lovers, this smoothie combines cacao powder with the nutty flavour of almond milk and all the goodness of hemp protein powder, providing a sweet tasting energising smoothie.

Ingredients

  • One and a half cups of almond milk
  • One chopped pear
  • Two to four tbsps. of organic raw cacao powder
  • Three tbsps. of hemp protein powder

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately over ice to taste.

  1. Hemp Protein with Blueberry and Mango smoothie

For fruity fans, this smoothie recipe is perfect, with the unusual combination of mango and blueberries providing a tangy, tasty experience.

Ingredients

  • One and a half cups of almond milk
  • One cup of frozen blueberries
  • Half a cup of frozen mango
  • Three tbsps. of hemp protein powder
  • One tbsp. of coconut oil
  • One tbsp. of ground flax seeds

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately over ice to taste.

Hemp protein powder is packed full of goodness and is particularly beneficial for those on a vegan or vegetarian diet, as a great source of almost pure protein. Including it into tasty smoothie recipes is an easy and delicious way to include it into your daily diet.

Whether you opt for a peanut and chocolate rich smoothie or a lighter, fruitier version, you are sure to find a recipe to suit your taste buds. We have selected five classic choices here but you can combine any ingredients. Why not experiment and see what kinds of combinations you can come up with by trying out different fruit, vegetables and other flavours?

Scott is a sports and fitness writer and writes full time for Focus Performance. When not in front of his computer or spending time in the gym you can see him hanging out in his favorite coffee shop devouring the latest Stephen King novel.

Photo credit: Kitchen Nutiva //  The Healthy Family & Home

Organic DIY Tea Tree & Lemon Essential Oil Cleaning Spray

Back in 2016 I made clear my goal to completely detoxify my life in all areas including my personal care and cleaning products. I can proudly say that two years later I have come a long way. From DIY toothpaste, oil pulling, shea butter moisturizers, deodorant and essential oils my life is one big ball of organic. To celebrate; I’m sharing this amazing DIY tea tree oil cleaning spray. Tea tree oil has many uses including cleaning and purifying.

I’m sharing this amazing tea tree oil cleaning spray

DIY Tea Tree Lemon Cleaning Spray

What You Need

  • 16 ounce spray bottle
  • 16 ounces filtered water
  • Tea Tree Essential Oil
  • Lemon Essential Oil
  • The Honest Company’s Organic Dish Soap

Preparation

  1. Add water to spray bottle
  2. Add 20 drops tea tree oil
  3. Add 10 drops lemon essential oil
  4. 2 teaspoons dish soap
  5. 2 tablespoons vinegar
  6. Shake and spray
  7. Don’t forget to label

What Makes It Awesome

This multi-purpose cleaner is great for cleaning as well as disinfecting and can be used on:

  • Countertops
  • Sinks
  • Mirrors
  • Glass, Metal, and Wood Surfaces

Stay tuned as I will be sharing more amazing uses for tea tree (and other) essential oils as well organic vendors and products I have incorporated into my everyday life that work wonders.

xoxo

The Gluten Free Chef

Vegan Baked Macaroni & Cheese | Living Vegan

It’s taken me months to find the time to share this amazing Vegan Macaroni & Cheese recipe with you. Created last year, this mac & cheese became one of the most popular dishes that I created for 540WMain Learning Academy’s monthly vegan pop up dinners. My goal was to create a vegan version of this classic American “main” dish as a side.

Feedback was so positive that I made it a staple for the newly created Vegan Cheese Making Class also at 540WMain. I’m elated to finally finally share this recipe with the world. Get into the recipe below.

Vegan Baked Macaroni & “Cheese”

Ingredients

  • 3 yams, peeled and steamed soft
  • 2 stalks celery
  • scallion
    3 cups non-dairy milk
  • 2 cups veggie broth
  • ¼ cup just mayo
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup (1 stick) vegan margarine
  • ¼ cup almond meal
  • ¼ cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
    3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    2 teaspoons tumeric
    1 teaspoon cumin
  • cooking spray

Preparation

  1. Wash and scrub yams, cut in half, cover with foil and bake on 400 degree F for 50-60 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool completely before moving on.
  2. Meanwhile, bring 5-6 cups water to boil. Add pasta, a pinch of salt and drizzle of olive oil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside in large mixing bowl.
  3. In a food processor blend yams with milk until smooth. Set aside.
  4. Coat a cast iron skillet with cooking spray, add celery and scallion and sauté on medium heat until tender. Add margarine, almond meal, vinegar, just mayo, mustard, garlic, cumin, and tumeric and stir until margarine is completely melted. Add in puree yam mixture. Pour this sauté mixture over macaroni along with veggie stock. Stir in yeast and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Grease a 6×9 pirex dish and add macaroni mixture. Bake on 400 for 15 minutes until bubbly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

The Gluten Free Chef Blog’s Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2017

It’s the end of the year so you know what that means…

Best of Compilations

That’s right. Although activity on the blog in 2017 wasn’t as plentiful as year’s past, it wouldn’t be the end of the year without a few best of compilation posts. Up first is the Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2016. These are all the top recipes that you viewed, liked, loved, and shared throughout the year.

The Gluten Free Chef Blog’s Top 10 Most Popular Recipes of 2017

Vegan Sorghum Pancakes

Vegan Sorghum Biscuits 

Oven Fried Garlic-Chive Potatoes (Vegan)

Chocolate Banana Apple Smoothie

Honey Balsamic Tofu Stir Fry (Vegan)

Slow Cooked White Bean, Lentil & Kale Soup

Sour Cream Pound Cake 

Parmesan Asiago Spaghetti Squash 

Apple Fritters

 

Sorghum Chocolate Pound Cake

Cookie Recipe Roundup | Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies 2017

The 2nd Annual Cookie Recipe Roundup Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies

The 2nd Annual Cookie Recipe Roundup compiles all the cookies that made this year’s Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies. I hope you are having a wonderful day, spending time with family, and eating amazing food & gluten free cookies. Until next year.

Most Viewed Cookie This Week: Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie

Twelve Days of Gluten Free Cookies 2017:
(1) Dark Chocolate Chunk Eggnog Cookies

Eggnog + cookies = pure decadence

(2) Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip 

A gift from Ina

(3) Salted Cinnamon Sugar Caramel Apple Blondies

Caramel blondies

(4) Simple Shortbread

Shortbread delights

(5) Hazel Nut Almond Graham Crackers 

Gluten free graham crackers

(6) Grain- Free Loaded Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grain free

(8) Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies with a twist

(10) Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

The best cookies ever

(11) Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Cookies

The perfect breakfast cookie

(12) Pumpkin Cheesecake + Shortbread Bars

Cheesecake + shortbread  = perfect match

 

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

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.