Gluten Free Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 cup almond flour (I make my own flour by placing sliced almonds in my magic bullet and processing  until fine. You can also use a blender)

2 eggs

1/2 cup raw honey - I like to use 1/4 cup honey & 1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup applesauce  with no sugar added

1 cup natural peanut butter - with no sugar or additives added

2 tsp baking powder - Rumford non aluminum

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla - McCormick brand

1 Tb olive or organic coconut oil

1 1/4 cup Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips or Enjoy Life certified gluten free, soy free, dairy free, nut free, mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13 cake pan

Combine eggs, honey (or sugar), applesauce, oil, and vanilla in your mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl if mixing by hand. Mix until smooth then stir in peanut butter and mix to incorporate. With mixer on low, add the remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Slowly add 1 cup chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and bake 17 to 20 minutes.Pull pan out of oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Place back in oven for just a minute or so to soften the chips. Take out of oven and using a knife or rubber spatula spread the melted chips over the bars. Let cool and cut into 2 inch squares. Makes approximately 20 bars.

Gluten Free Low Glycemic Chili

1 lb ground sirloin, turkey, buffalo Or diced cooked chicken

1 small onion, chopped or 1 Tb. onion flakes

2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 1/2 TB chili powder

1 TB ground cumin

¼ tsp oregano

1 tsp cocoa

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Cook meat, onion, and green pepper in large skillet until meat is browned. Drain meat if necessary.

Add remaining ingredients except beans. Stir until smooth. Add beans and stir to incorporate. Bring mixture to a low boil. Stir then reduce heat. Place lid on pan and let simmer 20 minutes to ½ hour.

Crockpot:

Brown meat and drain. Add all ingredients to Crockpot and stir. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Gluten Free Pie Crust

2         cups     Gluten-free flour blend (see below)

1/2      tsp        Salt
1         Tb        Coconut palm sugar, xylitol, or fructose
3/4      cup       Coconut oil or non hydrogenated margarine – make sure it is very cold
3 - 5    Tb        Ice Water – add ice to ¼ cup water and let sit 5 minutes

1                     Egg  organic, free range (for egg free add 1 tablespoon flaxmeal to 3 Tb warm water. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to thicken
2        tsp        Gluten Free Clear Vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Using your mixer combine gluten-free flour blend, salt, and sugar.
2. With mixer on low slowly add oil or margarine and mix until mixture resembles small peas.
3. Add the egg or egg substitute and vinegar. Slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture begins to hold together like a ball. The dough should be very soft and pliable.
4. To roll out dough you will need 2 pieces of wax paper. Lay a piece of wax paper on the counter. Place ½ of the dough on the plastic wrap and cover top with the other piece. Using a rolling pin roll dough to desired size. If dough is too sticky place in freezer for 10 minutes and roll again. Sometimes I will use a small amount of brown rice flour on the wax paper if dough is real sticky.
5. After rolling dough remove top piece of wax paper and carefully place in 9 inch pie pan. If dough tears some just use your fingers to glue back together.
6. Crimp edges and add desired pie filling. For 2 crust pie roll out crust and place on top. Make slits on top crust in several places.
7. Most pies will bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour
    
   Gluten Free Flour Blend:
   
   1 cup Brown Rice flour
   1 cup White Rice Flour
   1/2 cup Tapioca Starch
   1/2 cup Potato Starch
   1 Tb Xanthan gum
   
   Mix together and store in a sealed container. Use cup for cup in place of regular flour.
   
   
   
   

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

1 15oz can Libby's 100% Pumpkin

1 cup Gluten free Rice milk, Almond milk, or milk of your choice

1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon - McCormick brand

1/2 tsp Ginger - McCormick brand

1/4 tsp Cloves - McCormick brand

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract - McCormick brand

1/2 cup Raw Honey or Coconut Nectar - or you can use 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 cup Xylitol or Fructose

2 Organic, free range eggs**(see below for egg free)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Beat eggs, honey (or sugar preference) and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, salt and spices and mix to incorporate. Gradually stir in desired milk. Do not over mix.

2. Pour into gluten free pie shell (see recipe below).

3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

** Egg free - Omit eggs.. Mix 2 Tablespoons Flaxmeal to 6 Tablespoons very warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken then use the same as you would eggs. Also add 3 Tablespoons Arrowroot powder when adding the spices.

Gluten free Pie Crust

2        cups   Gluten-Free flour mix (see below)

1/2     tsp      Salt
1        Tb      Coconut Palm Sugar, Xylitol, or Fructose 
3/4     cup    Coconut Oil or non hydrogenated margarine – make sure it is very cold
3 - 5   Tb      Ice Water – add ice to ¼ cup water and let sit 5 minutes

1                   Egg, organic free range (for egg free add 1 tablespoon flaxmeal to 3 tablespoons warm water. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to thicken
2         tsp     Gluten Free Apple Cider or Clear Vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Using your mixer combine gluten-free flour blend, salt, and sugar.
2. With mixer on low slowly add oil or margarine and mix until mixture resembles small peas.
3. Add the egg or egg substitute and vinegar. Slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture begins to hold together like a ball. The dough should be very soft and pliable.
4. To roll out dough you will need 2 pieces of wax paper. Lay a piece of wax paper on the counter. Place ½ of the dough on the plastic wrap and cover top with the other piece. Using a rolling pin roll dough to desired size. If dough is too sticky place in freezer for 10 minutes and roll again. Sometimes I will use a small amount of brown rice flour on the wax paper if dough is real sticky.
5. After rolling dough remove top piece of wax paper and carefully place in 9 inch pie pan. If dough tears some just use your fingers to glue back together.
6. Crimp edges and add desired pie filling. For 2 crust pie roll out crust and place on top. Make slits on top crust in several places.
7. Most pies will bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour
   
   Gluten Free Flour mix:
   
   1 cup Brown Rice flour
   1 cup White Rice Flour
   1/2 cup Tapioca Starch
   1/2 cup Potato Starch
   1 Tb Xanthan gum
   
   Mix together and store in a sealed container. Use cup for cup in place of regular flour.
   
   

Gluten Free Holiday Tip #1

Be careful when purchasing turkeys.. 
Not all turkeys are gluten free!! (Many turkeys are soaked in a solution that has gluten in it)

1.  Purchase only FRESH TURKEYS from one of these companies!

1. Foster Farms FRESH Turkey  http://www.fosterfarms.com/faq/quality.asp
2. Butterball FRESH Turkey http://www.butterball.com/search/d9cb55ee2db277fd04ddd41a13781536/
3. Honeysuckle White FRESH Whole Turkey http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/FaqNutrition.aspx#nutrition1
4. Norbest http://www.norbest.com/consumer-corner/how-to-tips/other-faqs/
5. Shelton's http://www.sheltons.com/cgi-bin/sheltons/gluten_free.html?id=KLiyV5Rs

 

2. Not all hams are gluten free! Below is a list of companies that have gluten free hams and why you need to be careful when buying a ham. Always check the ingredient list to make sure nothing has changed. This is very important for any ham that says it is preglazed.  Also, avoid the glazed packets that come with the ham. It is full of gluten.

A quote from About.com.

"Ham is a holiday tradition in many homes. Hams, like turkey may be injected with a solution during processing that contains gluten. According to the following manufacturers, listed products are gluten-free. Always read labels carefully because not all products by these manufacturers are gluten-free."

• Hormel Canned Hams
  

  • Black Label® Canned Hams, Cure 81® Ham: Bone-in, Boneless, Old Fashioned Spiral Ham
• Safeway Butcher Cut Spiral Sliced Ham (glaze packet is not gluten free)
• Safeway Butcher Cut Cooked Ham (95% Fat Free)
•  Honeybaked Hams
• Costco - Kirkland Spiral Glazed Ham

 The hams should say gluten free on the packaging. 

3. Below is a list of companies that have gluten free products to help you with your holiday shopping. (This is by no way a complete list. But I had to start somewhere)

1. Wilderness pie fillings
2. CoolWhip whipped topping
3. McCormick single spices including liquid flavorings like vanilla & almond
4. Libby's pumpkin pie filling
5. Carnation evaporated milk
6. Jello brand pudding- Single flavors like chocolate, vanilla. Avoid ones like Oreo cookies n' cream
7. Oceanspray jellied &  berry cranberry sauce

Gluten Free Snickers Pie Revisited - Now Lighter and Healthier

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

 Recipe adapted from Lesley's recipe at:

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/NutritionOregon/199014873442400?ref=ts&fref=ts

3/4 cup    Coconut Palm Sugar, Xylitol, or Fructose
2/3 cup    Oil - I used half Organic Coconut Oil & half Olive Oil
1 Tb        Gluten Free Vanilla -McCormick is gluten free
2              Eggs
1 1/2 cup Gluten Free Flour Mix - see recipe below
1 tsp         Baking Powder
1/2 tsp      Baking Soda
1/2 tsp      Xanthan Gum
2    tsp      Cinnamon - McCormick single spices are gluten free
3/4 tsp       Nutmeg
1/4 tsp       Ginger
1/8 tsp       Cloves
2   cups      Zucchini - grated and patted dry using paper towels to remove the extra moisture
3/4 scoop  Now Sports Whey Protein Powder or Usana French Vanilla Nutrimeal (optional)

Gluten Free Mix: 
Mix together: 1 cup Millet Flour, 1/2 cup Sweet White Sorghum Flour, 1/2 Cup Brown Rice Flour, 1/2 cup Flaxmeal, 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch, & 1 Tb Xanthan Gum
 I like to put it in a glass jar, place the lid on and shake it until it is mixed thoroughly. Mix makes 3 cups.

Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees
In a large bowl mix together eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add dry ingredients except zucchini and mix only until moist. Add zucchini and mix gently to incorporate.  Pour into a greased bread pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.