Cheddar Cheese Crackers, Gluten and Egg Free

Crunch, munch crackers are a must. Especially yellow ones, how my kids like to call them.
Beauty of these recipe is that you can choose the cheese of your choice and every time crackers will be different. Like spicy with pepper jack, zing with feta or creamy with fontina.
Love to have some homemade crackers on hand when on the go.
Selection of store bought gluten free crackers is limited and to be honest all those crackers are very pricey.
This is amazing recipe, super easy and quick to make. Also there is no eggs in this recipe.

Homemade Gluten-Free Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Makes 70 crackers, 1 inch size

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 stick butter, cold
1/4 cup kefir
1 tsp. sea salt, optional
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine the butter, cheese and kefir in the bowl of a mixer

and beat at slow speed until blended. Gradually add the flours until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. The dough should have all pulled away from the sides of the bowl and formed a ball.

Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin until the disk is about an 1/8-inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter shape no bigger then 1 inch.

Place dough 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Let the crackers first rest in fridge for about 20 minutes and then transfer the pan to bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden.

Cool on baking sheets or wire racks for 20 minutes.
When completely cooled store crackers in an airtight container.

Enjoy!!

Sunflower Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Gluten and Nut Free

Mid week afternoon require some serious cookies. Before kids games you have to have a boost of wonderful aromatic cookies.
Since baseball season is in full swing and tennis tournaments are almost every weekend, I made a system of making healthy cookies and freeze the leftovers so every time we need one we just have them ready to go.
This time I had a sunflower seeds in a pantry so instead of almonds I decided to grind these and use them in a cookies.
Fantastic flavor, tiny bit salty but with semi sweet chocolate chunks make dream cookies.
Plus these are not only gluten free they are also nut free for everybody who needs to avoid nuts.

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chunk
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup sunflower seeds (grind)
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon organic vanilla sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Using double broiler melt chocolate chunks with tea spoon of milk and tiny bit of butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally till smooth, set aside.

Grind the sunflower seeds.

In a stand up mixer bowl add cold butter, sugar, egg, vanilla sugar, melted chocolate.

Mix just for a few spins, then add all the flours. Texture should be like a dough.

With hands roll the dough and form balls adding few chocolate chunks and if wanted extra pieces of sunflower seeds for the crunch.

Pop cookies in the oven for 14 minutes.
Let them cool and if you like you can sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Fantastic aroma and texture combination of trail mix and great cookie.
Enjoy!!

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies with Mascarpone Strawberry Frosting, Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentines’s Day!!
Here is the super cool gluten free sugar cookie recipe, with amazing frosting. Cookies and frosting are delicious, allergy friendly without any artificial food coloring.

For the cookies:

1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup sweet rice flour (mochi)
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 stick of sweet cream butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tbs vanilla sugar extract
lemon zest

For the frosting:

1/4 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup fresh strawberries, mashed
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
Fondant decorations, optional but sweet

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt.
In a stand mixer, beat butter with sugar on high, until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg, add vanilla and lemon zest.

With the mixer on low, fold in flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Remove from mixing bowl, form into a large disc.

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface to a little less than 1/2 inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut to desired shapes.

Place into the cookie sheet, ready to bake!!

Bake cookies until just puffed and set for about 11 minutes, before they have begun to brown around the edges. This will ensure a soft cookie!

Cool completely before icing.

To make the frosting: Prepare strawberries.

Place confectioner’s sugar in a medium bowl. Add mascarpone and strawberries, whisk until smooth to achieve desired consistency.

Decorate and serve!!
Enjoy!!
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Thanksgiving! Gluten Free Homemade Stuffing Recipe

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year Thanksgiving lunch will be delicious and gluten free:-)
We will be making boneless turkey breast wrapped in pancetta and homemade gluten free stuffing with:
sweet carrots, flavorful parsnip, crunchy celery, red onion and just a few strips of goodness of pancetta to compliment flavor of the bird.

You will need these ingredients:

1 loaf gluten-free sandwich bread, Rudi♥s, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 large red onion, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 medium carrots, diced
1 parsnip, diced
2 large eggs
4 strips pancetta,chopped
4 cups chicken stock, heated

Heat the oven to 350°. Spread the bread cubes out on a baking sheet. I love to sprinkle bread with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. This is optional.
Put the baking sheet in the oven and toast the bread. After 10 minutes or so, toss the bread cubes around to another side. When all sides are toasted, about 20 minutes.

Set a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, carrots, parsnip. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden. Add bacon and cook for another 5 minutes.

Toss stuffing together with the bread cubes. Put them all into a greased 8 x 12-inch casserole pan.
Whisk the eggs vigorously and slowly drizzle into the hot stock.
Pour this stock evenly over the stuffing. Cover the casserole pan with foil.

Bake the stuffing for 30 minutes, then take off the tin foil. Bake additional 10 minutes until the bread cubes are firm.
If you like you can pop the dish under the broiler for few minutes for nice golden crust.
What an amazing side dish. Flavor is rich, you can tell that is homemade, feels good.
Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Banana Bread with Pecans and Rice Flour

Happy Halloween everybody!

Still on my track with gluten free baking. Just amazed how all baked goods taste so delicious.
This banana bread, or what is left from this bread is a fantastic recipe-:) Texture is light, inside fluffy, outside just how the bread should be, amazing flavor. Highly recommend this recipe.

Banana bread, gluten free

1/2 cup stick of sweet cream butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
1 cup ground pecans
1 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon organic vanilla bean sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder, gluten free

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour one 9×5 inch pan.
Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, then bananas. Add pecans, flour, soda and vanilla stirring just until combined.
Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour (or till toothpick comes out clean). Remove from pan and let cool and serve. Leftovers store in refrigerator or freeze.

Check out my new cupcake and cake creations, and have fun, super cool, happy and safe trick or treating-:)

Happy Halloween everybody!

Mini Rice Flour Donuts

Fresh, hot, homemade mini donuts. Just came out of the oven, dipped in semi sweet chocolate sauce. Most important thing- they are Gluten free, made with brown rice flour, so good.
Recently I decided to change some of my eating habits. Trying to switch and use more rice flour instead of regular flour, cut down the carbs.
Still love to bake and make all kinds of goodies but being more avare of ingredients. Less butter, use olive oil instead, less sugar, more enchanting ingredients like, almonds, vanilla or citrus zest and instead of cows milk, soy or rice milk. All this changes give amazing results and more energy. Nobody complains, everybody like it-:)

Yesterday I made bite size mini donuts using brown rice flour, olive oil, cinnamon and some semi sweet chocolate just to make them a little bit yummier.

Perfect when served with ice coffee or cold soy milk for the kids.

Ingredients:

Donuts:

1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder, gluten free
pinch of cinnamon
1 large egg
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp plain nonfat kefir

Glaze:

1/2 tsp butter
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2-3 tbsp chocolate rice milk, as needed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, sugar, oil and kefir well with mixer. Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Grease the donut pan with non stick spray and fill each form half full.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack.
In a small saucepan or using double broiler, over low heat, heat butter and chocolate chips stirring constantly. Continue to stir, until chocolate is melted. Add few drops od milk if needed and stir till sauce is smooth.
Dip every donut in a sauce, lay on a serving plater and enjoy!

Now, for parties and celebrations you can make things even more fancy and adorable by adding totally cool decorations. Any party or celebration will be looking even better with cakes and cupcakes decorated with fantastic themed toppers.
For more info on super cute fondant toppers and decorations for occasions please visit my online Petit Fondant Creations store.

Thank you, and have a sweet day-:)

Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry

Summer is in the full swing and it is always nice to have something refreshing and sweet during the day. I usually have on my mind quick to make and good for you treat, like low calorie and low sugar dessert.
Chocolate is usually not considered a diet food but cocoa itself has beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. It is usually the other ingredients added to chocolate that makes it big no to consume. This recipe uses 70% cocoa chocolate that contains much less fat and sugar then a basic chocolate bar. This recipe is also gluten free.
The Glycemic Index is a numerical index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response, their conversion to glucose within the human body. Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100 with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar.
Glycemic index of 55 or below are considered low and 70 or above are considered high.
Glycemic Index for Strawberry is 40, which makes it low glycemic index fruit on the chart.

Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry

Ingredients

1 cup 70% cocoa chocolate chips
2 egg whites, from fresh eggs
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons plain non fat yogurt
4 medium strawberries

Pour chocolate chips into a sauce pan and gently heat it over another saucepan filled with water. When the chocolate is fully melted take the smaller dish out of the saucepan and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Using electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites. Add the sugar to the whites and whisk until they become firm and form soft peaks.
Add the chocolate to the yogurt and mix them together well.
Fold the egg whites into the chocolate yogurt and then spoon the mixture into glasses. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours to allow it to set.
Just before serving arrange the strawberries.
Irresistible good dessert, light and perfect for everybody who has an eye on their diet and waist. You can’t go wrong with combination of chocolate and strawberry, it is always delicious:)

Nutritional Information

Calories: 140
Protein: 5g
Fat: 5g
Carbohydrate: 13g
Sugars: 10g
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 52mg

Manhattan Beach Farmers Market, Homemade Carrot Soup, Kumquats & Bagel Shop

Tuesday was busy but really nice, pleasant day. Spring break is on, so kids and I decided to visit local Farmers market and take a walk at the ocean boardwalk. We were lucky to meet few wonderful and generous people that day. Afternoon was sweet filled with cooking, tasting and happy eating:)
Manhattan Beach Farmers Market was a real surprise.

This market has vendors who have great selection of produce and products to offer to customers.

Fresh, locally-grown fruits and veggies, flowers, plants, organic produce, dry fruits, nuts, hot and prepared artisan foods.

Every Tuesday rain or shine from 11-4pm.
http://www.mbfarmersmarket.com
At the market I met Secil, helpful lady from Arnett Farms.

For an astonishing 103 years the Arnett Family has been operating one of the best farms in California that specializes in oranges.
Arnett Farms, located in Fresno, grows over 200 different varieties of stone fruits, citrus, and berries, as well as apples and persimmons.
We decided to buy Kumquats, tiny looking like oranges and make something special- Canded Kumquats.
Market offers organic section too where I found lovely red carrots and later made beautiful creamy carrot soup.

On the way back from the market kids needed a little snack so we stop at the local Noah’s Bagel shop.

I am personally big fan of power bagels and new bagelthins.

” Noah’s® is a neighborhood based, deli inspired restaurant that serves a variety of signature sandwiches, fresh baked breads, home-style soups, tempting sweets and our award winning bagels.” As usual kids had toasted Asiago with cream cheese when friendly team member Felton approach us with a hot from the oven Apple cinnamon coffee cake and politely said that it was for us to share.

How sweet and kind! I was really surprised and I asked him if it’s all right if I put few pictures on my blog. He said that he would love that. So there it is, sweet delight, fresh and tasty. Brilliant with cup of coffee. Thank you.
http://www.noahs.com

Candied Kumquats Recipe

- 4 cups roughly chopped kumquats
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- fresh mint

With a pairing knife roughly chop the kumquats.

Discard any seeds you can that are easy to get too, but they’re edible so don’t worry if some get chopped up or stay in the fruit. Feel free to leave any small kumquats whole. Heat the water and sugar over high heat until it comes to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes. Add the kumquats and simmer for 20 minutes. Add fresh chopped mint.

Cool at the room temperature before transferring into the glass vacuum seal jar.

Can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigirator. This recipe is gluten free.
Great addition to the fresh made waffles or any recipe that calls for dry fruits.
Like citrus fruits, kumquats also low in calories. 100 g of fresh fruit provide only 71 calories. Nevertheless, they are incredibly rich sources of health benefiting dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and pigment anti-oxidants that contribute immensely to our health and wellness.

Cream of Carrots Soup

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

1 bunch of fresh red and orange carrots
1 pear
1 red onion, broiled
Italian parsley
sea salt, for taste
freshly ground pepper corns for the taste
1/2 cup non fat sour cream, gluten free
1 cup broth (from cooked carrots)

Wash and cut carrots, coarse ends.
Peal the onion and put it in the broiler till grilled texture is visible and aroma fill in the kitchen:)
Using medium sauce pan add: carrots, pear, onion, pepper and little salt.

Boil for 30 minutes.
Using blender pour the ingredients slowly, add sour cream, season with salt and pepper.

Blend on medium, gradually adding broth till desired consistency.
Serve warm with homemade crackers.

Carrot soup recipe is also gluten free.
I was on the roll that day and really in the mood to prepare and cook lovely things so I also made beautiful homemade crackers. Recipe and more at the next post:)

Carrots do stand out for their higher fiber content, so if you’re looking to increase your daily intake up higher, that’s the first big benefit that they will offer. Carrots are also very well known for their Vitamin C content, but that’s not all they’ll provide. They are also a rich source of Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic acid, iron, potassium, as well as copper.
Much higher than their vitamin C content, carrots are finally an extremely good source of Vitamin A with a hundred grams supplying you with 276% of your total daily value.

Sesame Sweet Potato Biscuits

Recently good friend of mine recommended me a book “Screen Doors and Sweet Tea” by Martha Hall Foose. Martha Hall Foose is executive chef of the Viking Cooking School. These are the cooking tales and recipes from Southern kitchen, wonderful spices and aroma. I was totally impressed with photographs and so many amazing recipes.
One specific recipe caught my eye, Sweet Potato Biscuits. Generally I love sweet potatoes, steamed or baked but idea that I can make pastry with sweet potatoes made me really happy.
This time I will post original recipe from the book and then my twist on the recipe because I wanted to use different type of flour, gluten free and more lighter.

Original Sweet Potato Biscuits recipe by Martha Hall Foose

1 cup mashed baked sweet potato
2/3 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
31/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 450F. Grease a baking sheet and set aside. In the medium bowl, mix the sweet potato, milk and butter. Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add to the potato mixture. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the sweet potato mixture to form the soft dough. Drop the dough by table-spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a deep golden orange tinged with brown. Serve warm or let cool on a wire rack.

My version- Sesame Sweet Potato Biscuits Made with Brown Rice Flour (Gluten Free)

2 cups mashed baked sweet potato
2/3 cup non fat milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (leave some on the side-before baking)
1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350F.
You can bake sweet potatoes in advance or before making recipe. Just bake them in the oven seasoned with little sea salt, pepper and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at 350 F for 40 minutes. When done and cooled, peel them and set aside for the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Wrap the baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

Using stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix the sweet potato, milk and butter. Add flour, sugar and salt. Combine ingredients with the potato mixture. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the sweet potato mixture to form the soft dough.

Using spoon make little biscuit shapes and lay them on the prepared baking pan. If you like you can add tiny bit of butter on each biscuit before baking. Bake for 20 minutes or until orange gold brown. Let them cool just a little bit and serve warm.

They are crispy outside and yummy inside. My kids love to add cream cheese before taking a bite….delicious and healthy.

Sweet potatoes are nutritional All-Star — one of the best vegetables you can eat. They’re loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

Sweet Potato

Guest Blog Post with Cajun Chef Ryan

I was truly honored when Cajun Chef Ryan decided to promote my blog recipe. Yesterday, My Wandering Spoon had guest blog post with my new recipe and dough creation.
“Amaranth Cups with Rhubarb Pecan filling” is amazing recipe. Cups are light with crunchy texture outside, fluffy inside and filling is truly wonderful. This recipe is gluten free. I always keep that in mind and love to create new and different desserts and more that everybody can enjoy.

For the full recipe please visit Cajun Chef Ryan site at:

http://cajunchefryan.rymocs.com/blog2/baking/guest-blog-post-irena-wandering-spoon/

I would love to thank Chef Ryan for the opportunity to work with me. He is an amazing chef and at his site you will find many delicious and great quality recipes.
Thank You:)