ChocoVegie Muffins, gluten free

I have been experimenting with punting vegetables in Chocolate  muffins for a while. The first batch I liked was with carrot and zucchini. Then the next time I was thinking that I would like to make more, but I did not have zucchini. So a little experimenting, and I used some very ripe bananas.

This is a small batch, only 6 muffins, but since i'm the only GF in my house, six is enough for me, to eat, before they go bad.
This recipe is so good, my three and six-year old will eat them too. So Sometimes I double the batch. We will eat them for breakfast, I would think slightly healthier then chocolate cereal, but maybe not.

So there we have both versions.

CocoVegie Muffins

1 C Pamela's Baking and Pancake mix.*
1/4 C coco
1 egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 C sugar
1/2/ C carrot
1/2 C zucchini OR 1/4 C oil + one ripe banana.
-I have also tossed in a handful of chocolate chips.

Prep the vegetables by pealing them. Then shred, or grate them. I process mine in a blender, so make them super smooth.

Mix the dry ingredients, then add wet.
Mix it with a spatula or spoon, because the batter is a little stiff.
Spoon it into six muffin molds.
Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, or until the top springs back when presses lightly.

* I relay like to have Mixes on hand. I just don't have the cupboard space for all of the variety of ingredients, and since many recipes call for such a minor amount, of some obscure thing, it's not cost effective to get it, and then have to toss it out before using it all.

Steam cake

It's hot. Well, hot for the NW.  lower 80s or so. Makes me not want to heat up the stove. But we have strawberries, and I want shortcake. So search the internet for cake in a steamer.
http://dingoozatfood.blogspot.sg/2014/10/easy-steamed-eggy-cupcakes.html?m=1

I adjusted the ingredients to be gluten free,and it came out nice.

• 1/3 C Namaste Gluten free flour blend
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tb powdered milk

Sifter together.
Then add:

• 1 egg, 
• 2 Tb sugar
• 1Tb vegetable oil
• 2 Tb Milk

Mix well, and divide between 4 silicone cupcake molds. Place molds in streamer basket.
Steam for 15 min.

Monay saving stratigies.

Each year, for the past nine years I have been married, we have been able to claim the medical deduction on our taxes. It gets us a few hundred back. But the thing is, we spend a few thousand on medical. Most years, between my son's OT, my hubby's Epilepsy, and my slow decline, we have spend upwards of fifteen percent of our income on medical. The year our second son was born, we spent almost 30% of our income on medical. My hubby makes an alright living, and our insurance is reasonable. It's our copay, deductibles, and everything else adding up. Especially for Ot and PT. I have gotten temp jobs, night jobs, and done sewing for money trying to make ends meet.
Technically my husband's income is too high for us to qualify for any kind of discount or services, but what they don't account for is when a quarter of our net goes to the doctors.

So, I do a few things to save money:

Baby:
Cloth diaper
Nurse
make my own baby food
Make baby clothing (FREE fabric, or out of old clothing)
Ask for hand me downs. I am not shy!

FOOD
Meal plan around Sales.
Freeze foods
Check coupons
Buy Bulk when on sale
Foods in Season
Crock pot
Oven-tips: With Casseroles and things that take a while, I turn down heat or off, for the last 15 min of an hour long cooking time
-Have a master price list: know the best price,
Go generic when it does not matter.
Stretch meat.
When I mix "juice" or punch, I always add a third more water then the recipe states.
Free Food: When the apple tree down the street is dropping apples into road, I ask if i can have some, and make apple sauce. Pick blackberries down by the river and make jam.

Electrical
No TV service.
During the day I keep Lights off, open window blinds, and use sunlight.
Wash in cold, at night, only full loads, with 1/3 detergent recommended.
Run the spin cycle a second time, gets more water out.
Line dry, everything but socks and underwhere.
Wash dishes at night, and never use the "dry cycle" just air dry
Low flow in Toilet, and "share a flush"
Water-heater set to lover temp
Winterize our home, preventing loss of heat.
Dress in layers, at home.
Get free wood, and have fires instead of turning up the heater.
I reuse plastic bags
Where it out, then patch it up.


Do a lot of the fix it myself, Dad's a general contractor, and You-tube
Cloth napkins, not paper towels
Always check clearance
No Vacations
No subscriptions or magazines
No Dry clean
Don't drink Coffee, or alcohol.
No Smoking
No Gym memberships
No landline
No hairdryer
Don't use dryer sheets
Walk whenever possible
Print for free at the library .
Sell on Etsy, and Craiglist and hold yard sale.

Any other suggestions?
                                                                                                                   

Pudding pie

I was in my chest freezer, and I noticed the apple pie filling I had put in a few months ago, and I thought "yum, that sounds good" So I got it out.  But I was not in the mood to make a regular crust, and I was leaning towards something creamy. So I searched google, and then pintrest for an apple pie, that used a crumb crust, and vanilla pudding. But no luck.
So I came up with this:

Apples, sliced, sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.
1.5 Cups crushed Cheerios, I had pumpkin spice on hand.
1 Stick butter, melted.
1 package instant, vanilla pudding,
3 cups milk, instead of 4

Mix crushed cheerios with melted butter.
Press into an 8 inch glass pan. Square or round.
Layer the apple slices on the crust.
Microwave 4 min, on high.
Let cool.
Mix the pudding powder with 3 cups of milk.
Spread pudding on top of the apples.
Refrigerate until set.

Enjoy.
I like the combination of flavors. It's like a pudding pie, with an apple layer.

Pecan pie bars, Gluten and dairy free

Pecan Pie Bars. Gluten free, non diary

Crust: 

• 1 3/4 Cup  Namaste Gluten free flour blend
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 3/4 Cup Crisco
• 2 TB water

Line 9X13 baking pan with parchment paper.

Cut the Crisco into the flour and sugar. 

Press into the pan

Preheat oven to 325, Bake for 20 minutes

Filling:

• 2/3 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1/ 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup pecan half's

Mix the brown sugar and flour. 

Whisk the eggs, vanilla, salt and syrup. Then mix into the sugar and flour. Let stand while the bottom layer bakes.

As soon as the bottom layer comes out of the oven, mix the pecans in, and pour it into the crust.

Back into the oven for another 40-50 minutes.

Chill at room temp.

Then fridge overnight.

Grain free Brownies

I've got a friend doing a grain free diet. And only sweeteners like honey and coconut. Not sure of it's name, but she gave me a recipe she wanted to try, I looked it over, and adjusted it to what I had in my cupboard, and to be dairy free.

1/2 Cup Coconut oil
4 oz bar, unsweetened chocolate
12 TB cocoa powder
4 TB coconut oil
-Melted together in a double boiler, then add
1 Cup honey
1 tsp Vanilla
-Remove from heat, and While it cools a little
-In food processes:
3/4 Cup Coconut sugar
1/2 Cup blanched, slivered almonds
2TB coconut flour
114 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
-Process until the almonds sugar have broken down to a flour consistency
- Then add
4 eggs, one at a time. Fully integrated.
Preheat oven to 350
Line an 8 X 11 pan with parchment paper.
Pour in the batter, and spread in the pan, to an even height.
Bake
Remove from pan, and Allow to cool.

It had a very rich and heavy texture. Not quite as fudge like, as a tort. I had some with whipped cream, and on another occasion with strawberry syrup. Either is good.

Quest for GF sugar cookies, third try

Glutino; gluten free pantry

Gluten free sugar cookies

I used shortening instead of butter, so that my dairy free sister in law can eat them.
Still too much spreading for shapes.

But I make some Snicker-doodle style, rolled in cinnamon sugar cardamon. For a more complex flavor.
They look good, and taste excellent.

Apple Snack cake, With Pamela's Baking mix

This is a similar idea to banana bread, but apple instead.

4TB shortening, melted
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
2 cups Pamela's Baking and pancake mix
1/2 tsp salt

Beat together shortening, honey and sugar.
Add remaining ingredients, and stir well.
Spoon into loaf pan, and smooth top.
Preheat oven to 320
Bake for 70 to 80 minutes, or until l toothpick inserted in center, comes out clean.

I tel tot cool slightly, then remove from pan so it doesn't get sweaty and soggy. Let cool complementary before slicing

You can eat it as is, or top with a little brown sugar frosting.

Quest for GF Sugar cookies continues,

My next attempt to find a Gluten free recipe for cut out cookies took me to glutenfree on ashoestring.com She always has excellent recipes.

My son and I don't particularly like ginger bread or gingersnaps, so I just left the ginger out.

And I used corn syrup instead of molasses.

It worked out fairly well.

Some held their shape better then others. 

We made them rather small, and they were very fragile.

Quest for GF Sugar cookies, that you can shape

My Little Squeaker wanted to make gingerbread men, since he had been learning about them in kindergarten.

I however do not have a reliable gluten free recipe for cut out cookies.

So the hunt began.

First I tried the "holiday cookie" recipe I found in my American test kitchen, cookbook.

I used Namaste flour blend, an chilled the dough twice as long as the recipe suggested, but it was a FAIL.