A Gluten-Free Twinkie...and a Cherry on Top

Many times I have envisioned myself recreating favorite foods of my childhood to be healthy and gluten-free. When I saw a recipe for a healthy and gluten-free Twinkie created by a gluten-free master, Elana of Elana's Pantry , I decided that she should get the "Takes the Cake" award, if ever there was such award.

For concern that my kids would see me reading her blog with the mouth-watering Twinkie picture, I quickly closed the page. I began wondering how would they understand having to wait for me to order a Twinkie pan. Without a "Twinkie pan" or injectors to fill the twinkies in site, I decided to bake into cupcakes and top with a cherry sauce and coconut cream in hopes of filling my children (and husband) with delight.

It is unusual that I find a recipe that only needs a slight modification to fit my needs. In this case, I replaced the vanilla extract with fresh lemon juice and used canola oil just because I don't have the grapeseed oil as used by Elana.

This cake recipe is deliciously simple and light in texture, which doesn't usually go along as a description of healthy gluten-free delights. I believe this cake will be a favorite of my families' for many years to come. Thank you, Elana!

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Twinkies
(reprinted with permission by Elana of Elana's Pantry)

3 eggs, separated
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons coconut flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. In a large bowl, whip egg whites to stiff peaks, then set aside
2. In a medium bowl, whip egg yolks until pale yellow, then whip in grapeseed oil and agave
3. Whip vanilla and lemon juice into egg yolk mixture
4. In a medium bowl combine coconut flour, baking soda and salt
5. Blend flour mixture into egg yolk mixture, then whip ingredients together until smooth
6. Gently fold egg whites into yolk-flour mixture
7. Spoon batter into Twinkie molds until they are half full (you will get 8 twinkies)
8. Bake at 350° for 11-12 minutes
9. Remove from oven and allow Twinkies to cool

For the complete recipe for making Twinkies, please visit Elana's site. I know you will enjoy her recipes and beautiful photos.

Now for my additions:

Cherry Sauce

approximately 1/2 of a 10-ounce bag of frozen organic cherries
1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
just a bit of water to make the sauce

Cook on low heat and stir until thickened.

Coconut Creme Topping

1 can of coconut milk, full fat, chilled in the refrigerator
agave nectar to your taste

When ready to serve remove the canned coconut milk from the refrigerator. With a spoon remove the fat or solid part of the coconut milk, leaving the liquid behind. Add agave nectar to sweeten to your taste. Whip with a hand mixer until creamy.

Sending lots of love to all my readers. Enjoy!

Preventing Autism

Since beginning my gluten-free, casein-free and sugar-free diet, I have developed a deep connection in my heart for children with autism. The first cookbook I bought was Special Diets for Special Kids I, a gluten-free and casein-free diet cookbook written by Lisa Lewis, the mother of a child with autism. I needed recipes and this book was like a beacon of hope for me. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by my food requirements, I would think of these families and wonder how they managed this diet with young children. Then I would get over my pity party.

I have always been curious about the similar issues that I have in common with these children and not have autism. It is astounding to know that 100% of children with autism have yeast issues like myself.

Today on my blog, I am featuring a video that answers many questions concerning autism. Donna Gates, the founder of the Body Ecology Diet, explains the diet that she has seen heal children of autism.



With my doctor's recent recommendation, I have been adding fermented foods to my diet as Ms. Gates speaks of in her video. Now I am in love with sauerkraut! My husband made this for me and we ate it so fast I didn't even get a picture to show you. We laugh about the feeling of the cabbage squeaking between our teeth. This is a new sensation I have never experienced with food. How great to find food that heals and tastes so good!

I feel this diet change will greatly enhance my immune system and speed healing. I hope you gain new insight from this video of the power of healing foods...there is hope.

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalms 25:5

Gluten, Dairy, Soy, & Sugar-Free Strawberry Shortcake

This recipe is very easy to make for a delicious dessert!

Refrigerate a can of coconut milk until well chilled. This must be full fat, not the light coconut milk.

Wash and cut up organic strawberries and drizzle with agave nectar and stir together. Put them in the refrigerator until they become juicy.

Bake Millet Drop Biscuits or Shortcakes.

When ready to serve remove the canned coconut milk from the refrigerator. With a spoon remove the fat or solid part of the coconut milk, leaving the liquid behind. Add agave nectar to sweeten to your taste. Whip with a hand mixer until creamy.

Enjoy!

Attitude of Gratitude

I began learning to cook gluten-free late in the year of 2002. At the time I was seeking to understand more about the candida diet when I discovered how gluten grains feed candida. I had been eating a low carbohydrate, dairy-free and sugar-free diet, but not gluten-free . At this point I had been so sick that I was willing to do anything to heal myself of this persistent infection and began attempting to cook gluten-free.

As you may imagine, I experienced many challenges. Internet research was new to me, and I didn't know anyone who had ever done this. I kept working in my kitchen turning out many failures. The bitter taste of too much stevia is forever etched in my mind. Then there were the rock hard biscuits that reminded me of those made by Elly May Clampett from the TV show, The Beverly Hillbillies. Can you hear that laughter? Just ask my kids about the goldfish crackers and they will give you a look with big eyes and a screwed up face and tell you how awful they were. We look back on those days now and laugh, because we all learned a valuable life lesson: our greatest struggles can become our greatest victories - we just need to keep trying and not give up.

It's kind of funny to me that recently Linda, The Gluten-Free Homemaker nominated me for the Attitude of Gratitude award. For you see the week before I received the nomination it had been a very difficult week where I struggled with the symptoms of detoxification. During this process I couldn't find much to feel grateful for when my cognitive abilities were diminished and my body presented with weakness at the shedding of many stored toxins. I'm grateful for making my way through the week and the past years of this process knowing I'm avoiding what could have been something worse down the road.

Now I have the honor to hand this award to one of my friends, Cathy, who writes about her life and beautiful family while going through the process of healing her rheumatoid arthritis with natural supplementation, a gluten-free diet and alternative doctors. I admire her attitude of gratefulness even while she might be in pain. Her friendship is a precious gift that I would never have known if I had not been gluten-free. Thanks Cathy for being an inspiration!

Your instructions are:

• put the logo on your blog or post
• nominate at least 10 blogs that show an an attitude of gratitude
• link to your nominees within your post
• comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award
• share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award
• tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude

Thank you Linda for nominating me and sharing your story and wonderful gluten-free recipes with us.

Exodus 15:2

The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt him!

Bless you all,

Debbie

Millet Drop Biscuits or Shortcakes

Millet Drop Biscuits or Shortcakes
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free & Sugar-Free

3/4 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup Earth Balance Margarine, Soy-free, softened
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 large egg
3/4 cup coconut milk, light
1 teaspoon organic raw apple cider vinegar

Whisk the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
In the mixer bowl, beat the butter, agave, egg, coconut milk and vinegar.
Add the dry ingredients and beat on high about 30 seconds.
Scrape down the sides and mix well.

Using a serving spoon or a large cookie scoop coated with olive oil drop the biscuits onto a baking pan coated with olive oil.
Bake at 400 degrees F about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

This is my third revision from a recipe that I found at The Gluten-Free Homemaker. The first revision was to make her recipe dairy-free and this time I adapted that recipe, Gluten and Dairy-Free Drop Biscuits by replacing sorghum flour with millet flour. Well, if that's confusing do not worry, because this is the most delicious biscuit ever! After picking strawberries at an organic farm we made these into Strawberry Shortcake with agave sweetened berries and coconut cream whipped topping. Absolutely delicious!

Gluten-free Granola Oat Bars Agave Sweetened

Yesterday I wrote about my oldest son's new food sensitivity to his favorite food- peanut butter and my experience with making my own pecan butter. I needed a substitute to replace peanut butter and almond butter to make the most of my time in the kitchen. Since I have a high reaction to almond butter and he reacts to peanut butter, I wanted a substitute that both of us could eat. Again, allergy-free cooking has brought me to a new food that I would never have discovered.

These gluten-free granola oat bars are great with this pecan butter and they have a delicious taste with lots of fiber and nutrients. Just so you know, they were sweet to my taste buds and probably the sweetest thing I've tasted in 7 years! I normally eat a very low glycemic diet and have enjoyed cooking and baking with agave nectar which is considered safe for diabetics and others requiring a low glycemic diet.

My goal, as in all of my cooking, is to make my recipes with the lowest amount of sweeteners. However in this recipe I found they would not hold together very well without lots of the agave nectar. In order not to waste all these ingredients, I opted to use a cup of agave. You can probably imagine how much my family really loved these.

If peanuts or other nuts are not a problem for you, I'm sure they would be easier to use in this recipe. Just open the jar...oh how I miss those days.

Gluten-free Granola Oat Bars Agave Sweetened

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded dry coconut, unsweetened
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats
1 1/2 cups gluten-free raisins
2 cups organic sunflower seeds, raw
3/4 cup pecans or your favorite nuts
9 dates, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup agave nectar
1 cup pecan butter or other nut butter
1/4 cups Enjoy Life Chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Blend agave and pecan butter in a bowl. Mix with all other ingredients.
Line a jelly-roll pan with greased parchment paper.
Pat mixture firmly into pan with a greased spoon or your hands.
Bake at 275 degrees for about 50 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and pat down firmly again.
Let cool a bit.
Cut into squares.
Store in the refrigerator to keep cool. It also makes them crunchy which we liked.

This recipe was adapted from Cream Hill Estates Gluten-free Oats.

Justin's Homemade Roasted Pecan Butter

As long as I can remember the only food my son wanted to eat for lunch was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. After he was diagnosed with celiac disease and had to give up gluten and dairy, I indulged this food craving in order to keep him from feeling deprived.

Recently his IgG delayed food allergy testing revealed high reactions to this favorite food- peanut butter. It's never easy making changes in our diets, especially when you have to give up your most favorite food, but he did very well.

I began to search out other nut butters and found he likes almond butter and then decided it was time to learn to make our own with pecans. I was surprised how much he likes it. I find him in the kitchen eating this by the spoonfuls.

This recipe is great for peanut butter sensitive individuals that want an alternative to peanut butter.

Justin's Homemade Roasted Pecan Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roast 2 cups pecan pieces on a cookie sheet for 3 minutes. Stir and continue to roast 3 minutes more.
Cool nuts then place in the food processor and grind . Add 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil and 2 teaspoons agave nectar and continue to process until you have a creamy nut butter.