Gluten free peanut butter and apple french toast

I discovered the sublime combination of peanut butter and apples when I stumbled upon a popcorn snack that combined the two. I am not sure why, but the first thing that came to my mind was making a french toast with it. It turned out to be a success. I also did a ricotta-nutella-strawberry french toast which was also fabulous. As always, when it comes to food the options are endless and all you have to do is take a look in the fridge and decide.


Ingredients:

4 slices of your favorite gluten free bread

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup peanut butter, slightly warmed in the microwave
1 granny smith apple cored and sliced to thin slices
2 tbsp honey

Butter

Core the apple and slice it thin with a mandolin (or a knife if you don't have one). Spread on a plate and sprinkle with a little lemon juice.

Mix the eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a container that will be flat and big enough for the whole sandwich to fit.

Spread warmed peanut butter over both slices of bread. Spread a thin layer of honey over the peanut butter. Put a few slices of apple and a second drizzle of honey.

Heat about 1/2 tbsp of butter in a non-stick pan.

Dip the sandwich in the egg mixture and carefully put in pan. Cook until golden brown, turn over with spatula and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and enjoy.

Options: add cinnamon, dates or banana instead of apple.

Gluten free Tahini Cookies

I adore Tahini in savory and in sweet dishes. When I was diagnosed with Celiac, my husband's friend suddenly told me one day that he is sorry he will not be able to eat those delish tahini cookies I always make. So I took on the challenge and started altering my regular, full of gluten recipe. The tahini and the honey give the cookies a surprisingly chewy texture, which I love. The first batch I made was finished on the same night I made them. Yes, they are that good!

Tahini Cookies - (makes about 25)

Dry ingredients:
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
3/4 cup sweet rice flour (you can use regular rice flour too)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon zest

Wet Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter, room temp.
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup tahini paste
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

mix in a small bowl the dry ingredients

in a larger bowl mix the wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients slowly while mixing with an electric mixer.

If the dough is too wet add more rice flour. Pinch a small part of the dough and roll to circles. Put on a cookie sheet, about an inch apart. You can put an almond or pine nuts on top.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until just golden on the bottom and the edges but the cookies should stay fair. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.

Gluten free mixed Berries Marshmallows

For marshmallows:

2 1/2 packs of gelatin (21g)
1 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water, divided in half

1/2 cup powdered sugar mixed with 2 tbsp cornstarch (for dusting pan and marshmallows)


For mixed berry sauce:

150g of mixed berries ( strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) fresh or frozen
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Make sauce:

Pour berries in a small sauce pan with the lemon zest and sugar. Cook on low heat until berries soften.
Pour mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Run it through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds.

Prepare Marshmallows:

Grease and sprinkle with powdered sugar a 13x9 (33x22) baking pan.



In a mixer ball, with a whisk attachment pour 1/2 cup of cold water and sprinkle gelatin over it.
In a medium pot, mix sugar, corn syrup and water and cook over low heat with a candy thermometer until it reaches 240F (115C) (soft ball stage- which means that if you drop a small piece of sugar into a cup of water it form a soft ball).

Put the mixer on low speed and slowly pour the sugar mixture (it’s easier if transferred into a vessel with spout).
Mix until mixture is shiny white and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of the berry sauce and mix until blended.
Transfer mixture into pan and smooth with a spatula that was sprayed with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and allow to dry, uncovered over night.

Cut marshmallows with a knife and roll in powdered sugar.

*** To make the shapes on my marshmallows, I poured a little left over berry sauce on top and used a tooth pick to make random strokes. The problem was that the sauce made the marshmallows sticky and the powdered sugar kept disappearing. So... it looks nice but I would not do it next time.

Gluten free bluberry - ricotta pancakes

These are quite awesome! Enjoy.

Dry:
1 cup rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Wet:
1 egg
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup of milk + 1 tbsp
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries (or what ever you like throwing into your pancakes)

mix dry ingredients in a small bowl.

mix wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients slowly and whisk until combined. If the batter is too thick to pour, slowly add a bit more milk, one teaspoon at a time until you have achieved the desired consistency.

Lightly butter a non-stick frying pan and pour batter, I used a ladle (you choose the size of the pancake). Sprinkle with blueberries, add a tiny more batter on top and cook over medium heat until bubbles form on the edges. Flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook for a few more seconds.

I serve it with a compound butter that I make by mixing soft butter with some orange zest and a tablespoon or two of honey. I put a dab on hot pancake and pour hot maple syrup over it... yum!