Oats Again!

With the addition of eggs and GF oats into our rotation, I was ecstatic to try out some new oat flour I found today. I immediately came home and searched for yeast & gluten free oat breads and came across this dandy. I altered it to our needs. Want the recipe? ‘Cause it REALLY GOOD.

Yeast & Gluten Free Oat Bread

1 1/2 cups GF oat flour
1 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/2 cup corn starch (the original recipe called for Tapioca starch instead, but I didn’t have any on hand)
2 Tbs chia seeds (or flax seeds)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 eggs
1 cup water
2 Tbs agave nectar (or honey, I used buckwheat honey)
1 Tbs white vinegar
1/4 cup oats for topping (optional)
Preheat oven to 350* F. In a medium bowl, combine chia (or flax) seeds and water. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together flours/starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of water and seeds, add eggs, agave (or honey), and vinegar. Whisk together and slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients, stirring as you go with a large spoon or an electric mixer on low. It will be more the consistency of a thick batter than a dough. Grease a large loaf pan (I used coconut oil ) and pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the top of the bread with the whole oats if desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

This turned out great! Especially since we haven’t had bread with eggs in it for like 4 years! I was amazed at how dense and yet….bread like it was! I guess the best thing to liken it to is a soda bread. I’m still trying to figure out a butter substitute to top it with, since goat butter is out of the question. So far, I just put some jam on top for hungry boy. (But for me, I snuck some creamy goat cheese and homemade peach preserves on it….heaven, I swear!)

This will be made again! Now to find some other grains to make this or similar recipes with. I have a coconut bread that I really want to try, as well as a flourless chocolate cake that I saw on Pinterest the other day…YUM!

A super simple Muffin recipe

Since I needed to integrate another grain in our diet, I decided to make some some muffins. This helps me out not only in getting a new grain mixed in, but for me muffins are a morning lifesaver! I have about 40 minutes from the time I crawl out of bed to the coffee pot, to the time I put hungry boy on the bus.  And these muffins are great to make the night before, heat up and serve with some protein for breakfast. (I’m a meat kinda girl, and really like to have it for breakfast!)

Very Simple Fruit Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour ( I used buckwheat, but any nut flours, coconut flour or amaranth would be equally great! NOTE* Here' is a great equivalent chart for substituting grain for wheat in recipes!

1/2 cup sugar ( I like to mix brown and white equally)

2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk (or a non- dairy like almond, rice (I don’t like to bake with rice), coconut, etc.)

1/4 cup vegetable oil ( I really like to use coconut oil in this!)

1 cup frozen berries (we used raspberries)

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place baking cups in a muffin pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in (nondairy) milk and oil.

3. Fold in berries. Pour into baking cups and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes: about 8 muffins, Preparation time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups packed natural brown sugar
1 cup canned organic pumpkin
4 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, softened to room temperature (OR, we substituted coconut oil)
2 bananas, thawed and pureed

1 cup chopped walnuts (* this is optional, but really makes it!)

Measure the flours and spices into a bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.

Cream the butter (or softened coconut oil) with the sugar. Add pumpkin, bananas and vanilla, combine with the creamed butter and sugar. Stir in toasted walnut pieces.

Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and place on lined sheet pan (parchment paper), leaving a couple inches between dough. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies spring back when lightly touched. Let cool on sheet pan for 5 minutes, then move cookies to a cooling rack.