Allergy-free Eating - Post #4

Okay - I still have LOTS of packaged foods to introduce here, but I decided that I should start mixing in good recipes when I make them.  It also will provide the opportunity to highlight some good ingredients.

This weekend, I made 2 meals "from scratch".  Friday night, we had brinner (breakfast for dinner), of homemade chocolate chip waffles, and bacon with fruit and juice.  This is a BIG crowd pleaser.  I got the waffle recipe from this AMAZING cookbook, Babycakes Covers the Classics.  This isn't the cupcake / donut maker babycakes (I was confused at first, too).  This is the cookbook of a woman who has a vegan New York City bakery.  I picked up the cookbook on a recommendation at Williams Sonoma, and I am SO SO happy I did.

I have, thanks to this cookbook, been able to make home made waffles using the belgian waffle maker my mom bought me *right* before our diagnosis, AND cinnamon rolls - another favorite we had been missing.

The waffle recipe is very easy, and not overly time consuming.  Here are the ingredients - I think this is everything:

The key ingredients to point out that have become staples for us:

- Bob's Red Mill GF flours.  One thing I have learned is that bulk flours will not work for GF.  The reason is in the way they are transported and stored.  There is basically bulk wheat floating through the air as they do these things, which would obviously be a problem for people with wheat / gluten allergies.  In the cookbook, the author goes so far as to say that Bob's is the ONLY flour to use on her recipes.  She is so confident in it.  I have to say it has produced really good results every time I have used it.

- Coconut oil.  We have long been using coconut oil but it is almost exclusively the oil used in baking.  I'm not sure what property it has that helps GF foods work, but we know it also has terrific health benefits.

- Xanthan gum.  This weird little ingredient has been on food labels forever, and I've wondered before what it is (Why did I always imagine something more like bubble gum?  And why did I accept that it was in our food with out knowing?!).  Anyway, it is a powder, and is imperative when you cook with GF flours.  Somehow helps everything work with out the wheat protein

- GF baking powder.  I had no idea there was a difference?!  Some baking powders are, some aren't.  Read the label.

- Again our fab-o Enjoy Life mini chips

- Rice Milk - I'll run you through our milk-substitute opinions in a later post!

Here is the recipe:

1/4 C melted coconut oil (more for oiling the waffle iron, or use vegan cooking spray)

1 1/2 C Bob's  All Purpose GF Baking Flour

1 C Brown Rice Flour (Bob's!)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

2 1/2 cups rice milk

3 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat waffle maker (per mfg instruction).  Brush with oil or spray.

In a medium bowl whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum.  Add the rice milk, coco oil, agave nectar, and vanilla and stir until combined.  Add chocolate chips if desired.

Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter onto waffle iron and bake per mfg instructions.

Ta-da!