Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Banana Muffins

Friends, I've been craving a good banana muffin.  I don't bake many gluten-free goodies because a) it's expensive and b) I'm trying to eat more raw fruits, veggies and nuts for snacks.  But those black, squishy bananas on my counter beckoned to me.  I caved.

And we ate muffins until our hearts were content.  My kids loved these.  They've missed the plethora of baked goods.  Don't let recent blog posts fool you, but I really haven't been baking like I used to.  I miss it.  I used to make something every single day.  Just because.  Now I'm really enjoying where the gluten-free and (mostly) vegan eating is taking me.  It's helping me reevaluate everything I eat and prepare for my family, particularly my kids, to eat.

So.  Back to muffins.  They can be healthy, delicious, and satisfying.  I didn't feel one bit guilty giving them by twos to my kids for breakfast and snacks.

P.S.  They are really good with a little schmear of almond butter.  And I won't tell if you eat them by the twos too. :)

I've Been Meaning To Tell You 03.15.2012

My recipe for Mushroom Leek Barley Risotto was featured on Foodie.com's St. Patrick's Day recipe round-up.  Click here for the recipe.

You can find my recipe for Braised Kale with Toasted Bread Crumbs over at Make and Takes, as well as my own recipe round-up of healthy St. Patrick's Day recipes.

The people from The Better Chip sent us some samples of their new corn chips.  They are different than other corn chips because they are non-GMO and use 40% fresh veggies in the chips.  My favorite was the Fresh Corn--aptly named, they tasted just like fresh corn.  The jalapeno variety was just the right amount of spicy.  The other flavors, Sweet Onion with White Cheddar and Red Pepper and Salsa Fresca were also good.  You can buy them online or look for them at a store near you.  They are really good.  We loved them.

I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead a few weeks ago.  I've been wanting a juicer for a long time--ever since I started researching plant-based eating a few years ago.  I'm going to do a juice fast just as soon as I can.  Wanna hear something lucky that happened last week?  I won a $1000 gift card to Williams-Sonoma from Foodie.com.  (I KNOW.  I couldn't stop screaming when I found out and I still break into a smile when I think about it.)  When I get that card in my hot little hands, I'm heading straight to W-S and buying me a juicer and probably a Vitamix.  I've been wanting one of those for a VERY long time.  And that will about cover the 1K, right?

What I want to know is:

a)  Have you ever juiced?
b)  Which juicer do you like the best?  (I'm thinking the Hurom Slow Juicer or Breville Dual-Disc.)
c)  What was your experience with juicing?  Did you love it?  Hate it?  Did it help you feel better?

I haven't written much about the health issues I've been dealing with.  I'm not private about it, I just try not to think about them.  I think I have an autoimmune disease (maybe MS?).  I also have a strange rash that keeps popping up on my knee and leg.  Then there's the digestive troubles--almost cured by not eating gluten and dairy.  And the dizziness.  The horrid dizziness.  I'm always dizzy.  That sort of puts a cramp in things like driving, exercising, or living.  Without health insurance (we lost ours when my husband lost his job in 2010), I haven't been able to afford to see a doctor.  I'm crossing my fingers that juicing will work a miracle and I'll start feeling better.  (Don't burst my bubble, mmkay?  I know I should see a doctor, but this is all I've got for the moment.)

Any advice for me?  I'd be so grateful!

Last, but not least, did you read C.Jane's post about body image and emotional eating?  I loved it and I love her.  We need to have more open discussions about these issues.  I think I'm still struggling with my own body image issues, but I've finally been able to get a bit of a handle on the emotional eating.  I'd love to hear what you have to say about her post if you read it.  Or even if you don't. :)

Carry on, friends.

Butterscotch Blondies

When I was a little girl, my mom would occasionally make Butterscotch Brownies (Blondies) out of her old red and white Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  (This is the original recipe.)

They were magnificent. This recipe differs slightly in that it has more flour so they are more like chewy cookies instead of candy. Mom's Butterscotch Blondies would get hard and chewy, so they were best eaten warm.  If I close my eyes, I can still smell them baking.

My kids love these bars too. You can't beat the flavor of brown butter and brown sugar together. The dough is almost better than the bars. My kids don't love nuts in their cookies, so I left out the pecans or walnuts that make these even better. We've also made them with studded with chocolate chips and coconut, or with added cinnamon. (Think: snickerdoodles. I can't take credit for that one. I saw it on Whitney's blog a few years back.)

We had our dear friends over for dinner on Sunday night and served these with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce.  The rest quickly disappeared as they became breakfast for three little kids whose mom was suffering from post-Daylight Savings Time Alarm-itis. :)

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Caramelized Balsamic and Honey Shallots

Ocean Mist Farms sent me a big ol' box of Brussels sprouts just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Now, I must say that I was not a fan of Brussels sprouts until a few Thanksgivings ago when we had them with browned butter and chestnuts. AMAZING.

Since that time I have learned to love brassicas and enjoy the benefits of eating my leafy green veggies as often as possible. We've been enjoying the Brussels sprouts. Apparently Brussels sprouts are more popular than ever.  I've been seeing fantastic recipes all over the place from pizza to salads.

I took a cue from the spaghetti and radiccio recipe I made last month and this recipe from Sheri Silver. I caramelized shallots and added sweet honey and balsamic vinegar to them, and tossed in some thinly sliced Brussels sprouts.  I only cooked the Brussels sprouts until they were barely tender.  Then tossed it with hot, cooked spaghetti.

If you aren't doing the vegan thing, by all means sprinkle some cheese on top or cooked, crumbled bacon. I liked mine with extra black pepper and a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Chopped nuts would also be a welcome addition.  I decided to leave them off this time around.

Irish Butter and Oat Shortbread Cookies for St. Patrick's Day

My daughter came home from school yesterday asking me if leprechauns were real and "what do snakes have to do with St. Patrick's Day anyway?"  I smiled.  I remember how fun it was to look for four-leaf clovers and wonder about tiny men in green suits with a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I asked her what she thought about leprechauns.  Real, she said.  Her friend saw one named Lilly, the same as her name.  So of course, they are real and so is that pot of gold.

I told her I made round little button shortbread cookies for her that were just like gold coins.  She squealed with excitement.

Back in December, I was shopping at one of my favorite places, Pirate O's, and they had Kerrygold butter on sale. My husband and I took turns in the store.  It was a few days before Christmas and snowing lightly.  Our kids had fallen asleep in the car and we didn't want to take them inside the store anyway.  Pirate O's is magical at Christmastime.  Every kind of imported chocolate and candy you can imagine in addition to their fabulous cheese section.  It's a small store with narrow aisles and high price tags.  You know how it is with tiny hands and touching everything. :)   I walked out with a pound of Irish butter, a bottle of sparkling Voss from Norway (which is still in my fridge), English clotted cream (my hubby just opened it over the weekend), balsamic vinegar from Italy, and Utah truffles.  A trip around the world in 15 minutes.

I came home and put the butter in my freezer to save for shortbread.  I never made the shortbread for Christmas.  I didn't make it for New Year's or Valentine's Day.  Here it is March, and I'm finally getting around to it.

Worth the wait, I was told.  Definitely worth the wait.

My grandmother and I talk several times a week.  Back in December, after I bought the butter, I called and we talked about shortbread.  She cut out a recipe from the newspaper years and years ago.  She read it to me over the phone and I jotted it down on a scrap of paper.  Then I talked about perfect shortbread with my husband.  He's kind of a connoisseur of shortbread.

I had the butter.  The recipe already called for some cornstarch.  The key is to NOT whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, or you'll get air pockets, and not to over-mix the dough when you add the flour.  You want tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumbly, sandy textured cookies with intense butter flavor.  The gluten in the wheat flour can make tender cookies tough, so subbing out other flours helps give you that perfect texture.

With it being St. Patrick's Day and all, I thought I would try adding a little oat flour too.  Oats are low in gluten and when finely ground, help keep the cookies tender and lend a nice nutty flavor.  Also, it's hard for me to think of oats without thinking of Irish steel-cut oats, our favorite breakfast cereal.  

See that lovely texture?

I made little round buttons for the kids.  They are the perfect size for a quick treat.  I managed to save some of the cookies that didn't disappear, so I could "age" them in a tin in my secret cupboard.  Shortbread gets better as it ages.  Using good butter helps with that, by the way.  Use really good butter when you make shortbread.  You can taste the difference.

Kerrygold butter comes from grass-fed cows and has a higher fat content.  That also makes for the perfect shortbread because less water in the butter means more tender cookies.  The flavor of the butter is also superior.  If you don't want to splurge on Kerrygold (or if you can't find it on sale), spring for some Land o' Lakes.  Go all out for the shortbread.  It's worth the splurge.