Plea for Grace

I have been gluten free for more than a year now, and dairy free for about 6 months. There are some things that I have just resigned myself to giving up, mostly because I don’t like the taste of the “substitute” enough to warrant the cost or extra time it takes to make.

Today, I found a substitute that works for me!

Hot cocoa mix (gluten free and dairy free) from glutenfreehope.blogspot.com

2 cups of rice milk powder
1 cups of dutch processed dark cocoa
3 cups of powdered coconut palm sugar
(blend the 2 1/2 cups of sugar with 3 TB of arrowroot powder in high powered blender)
1 ts. of sea salt
1/2 – 1ts. of ground cinnamon
optional additions:
1 ts. vanilla powder
1 ts. of pumpkin pie spice
1 ts. of ground ginger or cardamon

I used natural cane sugar and tapioca starch to make the “powdered sugar” and did not add the “optionals” and mixed it all in the food processor. 3Tbs in a mug of hot water gave me a creamy hot cocoa. I even added a marshmallow on top!

Dairy free gluten free coffee creamer

2 cups rice milk powder

1 cup powdered sugar (3/4 cup cane sugar and 1 Tbs tapioca starch blended in food processor)

1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp cloves

1 Tbs melted coconut oil

Blend the sugar in food processor. Add the rice milk powder and spices. Blend until thoroughly mixed. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave, then pour into food processor while it is running until it’s well blended. Put into container and store at room temperature. Just add a spoonful to hot coffee.

What a nice treat for me, since I have been drinking black coffee for so long!

I have been looking for some tasty gluten-free muffin and/or bread recipes.

Let me qualify that statement– recipes without multiple kinds of flour, xanthan gum, and the like

Thank you, Taste of Home! for Breakfast Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s RedMill all-purpose gf flour with chickpea flour base)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten (I used 1/2 cup of my homemade yogurt instead of the eggs)
1 cup leftover oatmeal (gf old-fashioned oatmeal I cooked overnight in the slow cooker)
1 cup raisins

Directions
In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda. In another bowl, combine oil, eggs, oatmeal, raisins; add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened (the batter will be thin). Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until the muffins test done. Yield: 1 dozen.
Originally published as Breakfast Oatmeal Muffins in Country Woman September/October 1993, p33

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/breakfast-oatmeal-muffins#ixzz39eDPbZ6s

I can’t wait to try some variations– grated apple and cinnamon; zucchini and chocolate; banana and chocolate chips — these are some that come to mind.