GF Oatmeal Cookies

*My secret to super yummy GF treats is almond flour.  It adds great flavor that you lose with rice flour.  I don't ever use almond by itself because it is quite pricey and we would use a ton of it. Typically, I use about 1/3 of the flour amount in a recipe as almond and then use either rice or buckwheat as the remaining amount.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 2 sticks Salted Butter
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup GF Buckwheat Flour
• 1/2 cup Almond Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 3 cups Quick Oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or using a hand mixer) beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping after each one.

Mix together the buckwheat flour, almond flour, salt, and baking soda. Add it in 2 to 3 batches, mixing it until just combined. Mix in the oats until just combined.

Use a teaspoon scoop to drop dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until dark and chewy. 

Let cool slight on the pan after removing from the oven, then transfer the cookies onto a plate for serving.

Balsamic vinegarette

Hear my heart:  When I started blogging a few months back, I really wanted to share my recipes with my girlfriends.  People always ask my for recipes, and I my goal has been to share more recipes.  I cook a lot.  I make pretty much everything from scratch, with very little processed ingredients.  This is how I cook for my family.  For me, cooking is easy and I enjoy it.  I pray my easy recipes will bless you and your family.

This one, is for my GF Aimee.  :)


You know what I NEVER buy?  Salad dressing.  It is one of the easiest things to make, and the bottled stuff is just gross.  Plus, who knows how long it has been sitting on the shelf?!  This is my basic vinegarette recipe.  I will preface with you need a good aged balsamic.  I keep some on hand as it is also fabulous with homemade bread and olive oil.  The Alessi 20-Year Balsamic Vinegar is my personal favorite.


Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup light oil blend
1 tbls sugar
2 pinches of salt
a pinch of pepper

Whisk all ingredients  in a small bowl until thickened.

Gluten free pumpkin bread

This is the most amazing pumpkin bread I've ever tasted.  I would have sworn it was regular flour, if I hadn't milled the rice myself.  :)

Ingredients
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
1 c. vegetable oil
15-oz. can pumpkin
2 1/3 c. rice flour
1 c. almond flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
3 c. sugar

Beat eggs. Add oil, water and pumpkin and mix well.

Sift flour together with sugar, soda, salt and spices. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Turn into 3 well-greased loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Gluten-free breaskfast bars-round 2 (Peanut Butter)

Homemade breakfast bars have really been working out well for my family.  My kids really need something quick and easy in the mornings, and this has been such a great alternative to boxed granola bars.  Plus, no preservatives and very inexpensive!  Score!


Ingredients
2 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp vanilla

Scoop into 12 muffin tins and bake 350° for 25 minutes

Gluten-Free breakfast bars

Ingredients

1 1/2       cups quick rolled oats

1             cup unsweetened coconut flakes 

3             tablespoons flaxmeal

1/2          teaspoon salt

3/4          cups coarsely chopped pecans

1/2          cup dried chopped dried plums

3             ripe bananas, mashed

1/4          cup melted butter

1             tablespoon agave nectar

1             teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine oats, coconut, flaxmeal, salt, pecans, and dried plums. Stir in bananas, butter, agave nectar and vanilla until well combined.

Press 2 tablespoons of mixture into a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Continue with remaining mixture.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until fragrant and golden. Cool on pan.

Yield: about 15 cookies.

*I had a revelation after I made these.  Why not use a muffin tin?  :)

Variety and veggies...

My GF Brandi told me about this company last summer.  They are an Organic Co-op, local to Jacksonville, that offers fruit and vegetable bags weekly.  I have to admit, I was skeptical at first.  I have been a part of an organic co-op before and when I got my items, they were super ripe.  We had to eat them immediately or toss them.  It was expensive and wasteful.

When my GF personally recommended The Neighborhood Garden, I was excited!

I typically get 2-3 bags a month.  I find that for us, every week is a little too much.  I typically cook dinner 3 nights a week and several meals on the weekends.  Both of my children also bring their lunch everyday.

I pick up my organic local produce on Monday.  It lasts us a little longer than a week and offers our family a great variety.  The company allows you 2 substitutions per bag.  They also offer all fruit and juicing bags.  The cost for a full bag of produce is $33.  This has cut down my grocery bill tremendously.  Also, we eat less junk, and I like that.  I am blessed with children that will eat just about anything, especially my daughter.  What one child won't eat, the other one will.
My Sunday trip to the grocery is pretty much just for meat, dairy and a few 'center of the store' items.

Below is a sample list of this weeks produce. Check out their website for a location close to you.  They also deliver to your home for a small fee.

Oh, and tell them I sent you!  :)

Weekly Organic Produce

Monday, March 18th

2-3 Plums

4-5 Braeburn Apples

2-3 Tangerines

Bananas

2-3 Kiwi

Spring Mix

1lb. Carrots

Cremini Mushrooms

1-2 Cucumber

Lacinato Kale

1-2 Yellow Onions

2-3 Roma Tomatoes

Homemade French Bread

French bread is so fancy.  In my mind, I always thought it was difficult to make.  I was looking for an amazing french bread recipe, when the SIL of one of my GF's sent me this.  I'm in LOVE!!!!  Thanks Cammi!  :)

Ingredients

1 cup water

2 3/4 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

3 tablespoons corn meal

Directions

1. Place 1 cup water, bread flour, sugar, salt, oil and yeast into bread machine pan in the order recommended by manufacturer. Select Dough cycle, and press Start. (My machine allows the dough to rise once. If yours doesn’t, turn dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about an hour). 

2. Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8×12 inch rectangles. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet, sprinkled with cornmeal. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix egg white with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.