Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook: A Seasonal, Vegetarian Cookbook (7 page)

1/3 cup melted extra-virgin coconut oil

½ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Lightly oil a large baking pan or rimmed baking sheet.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Spread the mixture on the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the granola is lightly browned. Cool before serving.

Variations

Use different kinds of nuts, such as almonds, pecans, or a combination.

You can combine just about any type of dried fruit with teff to make a simple, nourishing, and delicious hot cereal. Here, I’ve boosted the flavor and nutrition by using coconut milk for part of the cooking liquid. I like to use whole dates here, so there are large pieces of almost melted date in the porridge, but you could chop them if you like. Experiment with different fruits, adding a small handful of whatever dried fruits you like, and feel free to add other spices; ginger or cardamom would also work well. Serve the porridge as is, or top it with yogurt, maple syrup, or any type of milk—dairy or nondairy.

Serves 3 or 4

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

1¼ cups water

1 cup teff

5 pitted dates

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Put the coconut milk in a medium saucepan. Pour some of the water into the coconut milk can and swish it around, then pour it into the pan; if needed, repeat with more of the water so you get every last drop of the coconut milk’s goodness into the pan. Stir in the teff, dates, cinnamon, and salt, then bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the teff is tender. Serve immediately.

This easy porridge will warm you up on a chilly day. The power comes from the amaranth, teff, and goji berries, all superfoods with amazing nutritional profiles. Amaranth has high-quality protein and is also rich in minerals. Teff has plentiful amounts of iron and calcium, while goji berries are a great source of antioxidants and phytonutrients. You can serve this porridge as is, or top it with maple syrup, yogurt, or any type of milk.

Serves 2

2/3 cup rolled oats

8 pitted dates, chopped

1 tablespoon teff

1 tablespoon amaranth

2 tablespoons goji berries

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

2½ cups water

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the amaranth is tender and the porridge begins to thicken. Serve immediately.

Variations

Instead of a combination of teff and amaranth, use 2 tablespoons of either grain.

Substitute rice flakes for the rolled oats.

Replace the dates with about ¼ cup of other dried fruits, such as peaches, cherries, apricots, or figs. You can leave smaller fruits whole, but it’s probably best to chop larger fruits.

Swap unsweetened coconut for the goji berries.

Oatmeal is so good for you, but it lacks pizzazz and can get to be a bit boring if you eat it day after day. Luckily, it’s easy to mix it up by adding dried fruit, spices, and various other grains. You can serve this porridge as is, or top it with maple syrup, yogurt, or any type of milk.

Serves 1 or 2

1/3 cup rolled oats

3 tablespoons amaranth

3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

3 tablespoons raisins

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

2 cups water

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the amaranth is tender and the porridge begins to thicken. Serve immediately.

Variations

Substitute teff for the amaranth.

Substitute rice or quinoa flakes for the rolled oats.

Replace the raisins, coconut, or both, with other dried fruits, such as peaches, cherries, apricots, or figs.

Sometimes it’s nice to have a grab-and-go breakfast, but if you’re on a gluten-free diet, the options may seem limited or nonexistent. Fear not: These muffins are wonderful for breakfast—or for snacking anytime.

Makes 12 small muffins

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup teff flour

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup olive oil or melted extra-virgin coconut oil

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

1 tablespoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

3/¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a muffin tin or line it with muffin liners.

Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. The batter will be thick. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Vegan Oat and Raisin Muffins:
For a vegan muffin, omit the yogurt, add 2/3 cup water, and increase the amount of oil to ½ cup.

People of all ages love these delicious muffins, which are equally good with lunch or dinner as they are with breakfast.

Makes 12 small muffins or 1 standard loaf

2 eggs

1 cup apple or pear juice

¼ cup melted unsalted butter

¼ cup maple syrup

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup corn flour

1 cup brown rice flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Oil a muffin tin or line it with paper liners, or oil a standard loaf pan.

Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the juice, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt and stir until well combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full, or pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (15 to 20 minutes for muffins, or 30 to 40 minutes for a loaf).

Variations

For a bit more texture, use blue cornmeal or regular cornmeal instead of corn flour; all yield excellent results.

For added nutrition and flavor, substitute 1 tablespoon of maca powder for 1 tablespoon of the brown rice flour.

Vegan Corn Muffins:
Use extra virgin coconut oil or canola oil instead of the butter. Omit the eggs and add 2½ tablespoons of flaxseeds. Grind the flaxseeds in the blender until they’re powdery, then add the juice and blend until the mixture is gelatinous. Otherwise, follow directions above.

Homemade compotes are easy to prepare and make a great topping for pancakes or waffles. You can use any type of dried fruit or a combination. You may need to adjust the amount of water or cooking time depending on the type of fruit you use and how dry it is. The goal is to cook the fruit until it’s plump and tender.

Makes about 1½ cups; serves 3 or 4 over pancakes or waffles

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1 cup water

½ cup pear juice

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon arrowroot or kudzu powder

1 tablespoon cold water

Put the apricots, 1 cup water, juice, ginger, maple syrup, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the apricots are plump and tender. (If the apricots are especially dry, you may need to add more water or extend the cooking time.)

Dissolve the arrowroot powder in the 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir the slurry into the apricots and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until thick. Taste and add more maple syrup or ginger if you like.

If you’re lucky to live where berries grow well, I recommend you eat lots of fresh berries all summer long, and be sure to freeze a lot more for the winter months, when their bright flavors will bring a taste of sunshine to cold, dark days. That way you can enjoy this quick, easy sauce, which is a favorite on pancakes and waffles, year-round. Feel free to substitute raspberries, blackberries or strawberries for the blueberries in this delicious sauce, and no matter what type of berries you use, either fresh or frozen is fine.

Makes about 2¼ cups; serves 3 or 4 over pancakes or waffles

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons maple sugar or maple syrup

1 tablespoon arrowroot or kudzu powder

1 tablespoon cold water

Put the blueberries and maple sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once they start to steam and bubble a bit, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the berries are soft and juicy (about 5 minutes for fresh berries or 10 minutes for frozen).

Dissolve the arrowroot powder in the water, then stir the slurry into the berries. Simmer for a minute or two longer, until the sauce thickens. Taste and add more sweetener if you like.

Good morning pancakes! You may be amazed (and you will definitely be delighted) to learn that teff flour can stand in for all of the wheat flour in pancakes. Use just a couple of tablespoons of this batter to make small pancakes that are fun to eat with your hands like a muffin. Because they’re cooked in coconut oil, they’re so tasty that you may not even want any toppings.

serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons flaxseeds

4 eggs

2 ripe bananas

1 cup apple juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups teff flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt