Fitter, Happier, More Productive

Glutenless, Lactosefree, Has Not Killed Self Yet

It's the perfect satirical The Onion-style heading for this entry.  In all seriousness, so far so good.

You may or may not have noticed this about children, but they usually have too many damned toys.  

Not this toy.  This is flippin' bad ass.

When presented with too many options, it's sensory overload.

Likewise, after a little research and making handy-dandy charts like these:

(menu/shopping list found here)

(the other is a compilation of gluten-safe and non grains, and how to substitute flour, and I will make more of these for basic smoothies etc.  I laminated them, and keep them on the fridge.  On the back of the menu planner is a pretty cloud background paper so kids and I can write important notes for the week, and the back of the gluten grain info sheet is a list of pantry staples, so I don't run out of must-haves).

So point is: yes, dairy and gluten free is very restrictive.  However, I'm finding I kind of like it.

1. It's far healthier than the traditional "Western Diet" (check out "Forks Over Knives" - great book available through their site and local bookstores like Downtown Books and Coffee here in Auburn.)

2. It's simple.  It's basic.  And I'm forced to explore more.  I'd already been making my own milks but I'm now seeking alternatives to things I hadn't before out of necessity instead of curiosity due to more of an urgency.

3. I'm being forced to shy away from processed foods, which I'd been working on and is also, SURPRISE, great for you.  

4. And I appreciate the little things more, like how an awesome coworker today brought me a few sorghum-based gluten-free beers today.  I was so touched; and I can't wait to have beer again, and give you guys another review blog!

RECIPE!  GF, DF Glazed Chocolate Stuffed Donut Muffins

Recipe may not be reproduced without written permission of Katherine Alexander

Glaze:

1.5 C Confectioners Sugar

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 C cold water

Chocolate Filling:

1/4 C Coconut Oil - warmed in microwave 7 seconds

3 tsp vanilla

1/2 C unsweetened cacao (or pure cocoa) powder

2-3 C confectioners sugar

1-3T Almond Milk

Donut Muffin:

1/4 C Coconut Oil - warmed in microwave 7 seconds

1/4 C canola oil

1/2 C cane sugar

1/3 C brown sugar

------ 1. Cream the above ingredients until smooth with electric mixer.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

3. Line muffin tin(s) with 16 paper liners, and spray briefly with one shot your preferred nonstick spray.

4. Add to batter: 

2 large eggs, and beat until incorporated.

Add:

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

----- cream until mixed.

5. slowly mix in 1 C milk (either hemp or almond work great, I have not tried another yet)

and one of the following flour combinations:

variation A: 1 C Rice Flour, 1 C Chickpea Flour, 1/3 C Arrowroot Powder & 1/3 C Tapioca Flour

or variation B: 1 C Almond Flour, 1 C Rice Flour, 1/3 C Arrowroot Powder & 1/3 C Tapioca Flour

*I used Hemp Milk with variation B, and Almond with variation A.

6. Fill each cup 1/4 C full (will be nearly full).

7. Bake 15 min (toothpick inserted in middle should come out clean, and they will be lightly golden).

While they are baking, make your glaze by mixing all your ingredients together with electric mixer on Medium.

Then make your filling:

Warm the coconut oil, then cream in the vanilla, and start with 1.5 C sugar and 1 T milk and cocoa, and add from there.  The consistency/amount can be changed by adding more sugar and milk, so this has a lot of wiggle-room!  I like it a fudgy/frosting like consistency.  (and this is what I use for a DF/GF frosting!)

When your muffins come out of the oven, wait for them to be at least mostly cool, and glaze.  Place a small amount in the middle and it will settle smoothly out to the sides, like a perfect donut glaze!  Feel free to add sprinkles at this point before the glaze hardens but CHECK THE SPRINKLE labels (most are not GF, DF).

Then, once entirely cool, fill a frosting tube like this:

(this is a terrible tutorial pic, but you can see the kind of tube I mean, mine is from Pampered Chef)

And pump that deliciousness in there!  Start slow, and watch the top of the muffin.  You'll want to insert the tip about halfway into the muffin, and then watch as the top of the muffin just starts to expand and then STOP!

Even my 8 & 11 year olds got this down to a science on their first try, so I guarantee you it's easy!

DID YOU KNOW?!

Fermented foods are super good for you.  Not like, you left something sitting on the counter too long accidentally and it's gone foul fermented, but the legit kind.

And so as I go off to DJ tonight I am not sad that I cannot have beer, because I can eat fermented healthy goodness!

Next time: user review on GLUTEN FREE BEER!  (not that cider shit.  Blech.)