Super Moist Pumpkin Bread {Gluten-Free}

I found all of these ingredients in my cupboard already! No joke.  That is my favorite kind of baking.

It turned out delicious and moist!

Super Moist Pumpkin Bread {Gluten-Free}
2 Cups Gluten-Free Baking Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour.  Not my favorite blend of flours but I had it on-hand!)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
3+ Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1- 16 oz. Can Plain Pumpkin
1 Cube Softened Butter
2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a bread pan with butter (I like to use a smaller casserole dish instead if the deep bread pan because the cooking time is less). Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while stirring.  Mix just until all ingredients are combined.

Pour into buttered pan.  Cook for 30-35 minutes or until a fork stuck into the middle comes out clean!

Enjoy, folks and happy Fall!

Taste-Testing Homemade Gluten Free Pancake Mix!

I was so thrilled to be asked to try out a dear friend's homemade, home-milled, gluten-free pancake mix!

I had great intentions to record the the making and trying of the first batch.  Unfortunately, I ate, shared it and never picked up a camera.

To my joy she gave me a second batch the next time I saw her!  I can give you the ingredients but not the recipe as it could be a best seller in progress!

Ingredients: Organic milled oats, organic short grain brown rice, buttermilk, sweetener, baking soda, baking powder, salt.

I added: Egg, milk, coconut oil

The result was delicious!! Generally, gluten free pancakes are thinner and these were no different but I love a thin pancake!

They have a wonderful wholesome, fresh taste.  They soak up butter and are totally family approved.

Please leave me a comment if you are interested in trying some out!

Chicken Curry: Gluten Free with Garden-fresh Basil

The very first dinners I ever cooked DaveBee in college was tilapia fish and vegetables in a curry sauce with rice and garnished with avocado and orange slices. 

It was the first time I had cooked curry-anything.

It was one of those moments in my life where the planets aligned where the meal was smashing and I may have won over the love of my life!

Since then, he and I have consumed much curry and coconut milk together.  In fact, it usually makes its way into a weekly dinner as the days start to get shorter and cooler.

Here is the SUPER easy recipe I made recently to clean up some thai basil from the garden.

Chicken Curry: Gluten Free and Garden-Fresh Basil

This mild version is kiddo and toddler approved!

3 Chicken breasts (about 1 breast per person)

Curry powder (see label for amount as they vary)

Lots of Stir fry vegetables

1 Can Coconut Milk

Handful of fresh thai basil

Pan cook chicken breasts dusting each side of chicken with curry powder as you turn it.  Cook slow and low. When chicken is about 5 minutes out, simultaneously, saute the stir fry vegetables and a few sprigs of basil in some olive oil on high heat AND bring coconut milk with more curry powder to a simmer in a saucepan. 

Add curry coconut milk to vegetables and add some more fresh basil as the two pans of ingredients marry. Slice up chicken and add to the vegetables as well.  Serve!

Notes:

This is fantastic over rice as well. We have gotten many kinds of curry powders and pastes but if you are a beginner try any of the Thai Kitchen pastes!

Serves 2 adults and 2 kiddos

Chips and Lemons

I try and be careful how I help The Bear and The Bird to understand that MamaBee doesn't eat gluten.

Sometimes I get technical with The Bear and explain it is not good for my body because of x, y, and z... while still letting him know that he can eat it without consequence.  

Also, I pretend to eat a gluten-ous cookie offered by The Bird in hopes of not hurting her feelings and share in the sweet gesture of sharing.

Today, The Bear and I were enjoying some peace and quiet after The Bird went down for her nap.  We made lemon tea and ate cookies.  He offered me some of his cookie and I said I would stick with my gluten-free version.

"Oh, yea, mama, you can only eat chips and lemons."

Yikes.  Time to revamp the diet.

That's a Wrap: Gluten Free Sandwich Wraps

I am on a sandwich wrap kick! Any gluten free tortilla will do but I like the large brown rice ones from Trader Joe's.  Check these out:

The Protein Wrap

Gluten free tortilla

Hummus

Dijon mustard

Red onion

Romaine hearts

Mild cheddar cheese

Sliced Turkey Breast

Salami

You're welcome!

Cheese and Veggie Wrap

Gluten free tortilla

Real mayonaise

Yellow mustard

Sharp cheddar cheese

Romaine lettuce

Avocado* 

Cucumber*

Tomato* 

*Home grown!!

The awesome thing about wraps is that they possibilities are endless especially if you are into spreads and cheeses!

Often, I see recipes online and they inspire me to try their meal but with my own twist. Let me know if you are inspired to make a wrap and if so, what did you put in it? 

That's a wrap! (too easy!)

Udi's Recipe: Apple Stuffed Chicken

If you are gluten-free and you don't know Udi's products you should check them out.  Consistently superior bread products!

Just found this gem... I can't wait to try it!

http://udisglutenfree.com/recipes/apple-filled-chicken-breast/

Again, I will report back!

Hippie Goulash: AKA Easiest Damn Dinner

So, this may be the only recipe post where I don't actually add a picture of the food.  Don't fret, I will show you a picture of my husband and generally what he looks like when he loves an easy and delicious dinner.

Back to the dinner. It is just not as pretty as it is delicious!  And, it is delicious.  I googled the meaning of goulash since my husband named the dish "hippie goulash" after something that he and his college roommates used to make. The definition states that it is a Hungarian stew with meat and vegetables and paprika.

My recipe has meat and vegetables... and that is where the similarities end!  It also includes curried rice and, our family favorite, butter. Oh, did I mention it is crazy-easy?!!

Here is the recipe {gluten-free, of course}:

Hippie Goulash

1 package Biryani curried rice (Trader Joe's... they are not paying me, I swear...maybe they should!)
1 pound ground meat (we have used beef mostly lately as a carry-over from needing more iron during pregnancy)
1 package frozen vegetables or 10-16 ounces fresh vegetables (we add a lot since it is a good way to keep introducing vegetables to the kids!)
2 tablespoons butter

In a large frying pan, cook your meat.  When the meat is about three-quarters of the way done, drain the fat and add 2 tablespoons butter (it's all about the flavor!).  Add the whole bag of curried rice and vegetables.  Turn the heat up as if you were quickly stir-frying and keep it moving with a spoon.  In about 5-7 minutes your dinner is ready to serve. 

Even The Bird loves it as long as all the food is small enough to eat when you just have 6 teeth!

As promised: he loves it!

For the record, I believe my husband's college goulash was any and all leftovers thrown in a bowl and heated up.  I never had the pleasure of trying the delicacy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Cookies

While meandering through the Trader Joe's website looking for new and exciting dinner ideas I discovered that Trader Joe's has gluten-free recipes!

I have been making flourless cookies as of late and find them to be super fulfilling for an evening snack.  I got all the ingredients for these today but have to wait for my baking buddy, The Bear, to wake up from his nap! The Bear loves cookies especially ones with chocolate in them. Pictures and taste-testing results to come!

http://traderjoes.com/recipes/recipe.asp?rid=199

• 2 very ripe TJ's Bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup TJ’s Creamy Unsalted Almond Butter
• 1 tsp TJ’s Pure Vanilla Flavor
• 1 tsp TJ’s Organic Blue Agave Sweetener
• 1 cup TJ’s Gluten Free Rolled Oats
• 1 TJ’s Belgian Dark Chocolate with Almond Bar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine mashed banana, almond butter, vanilla and agave. Slowly add oats to the mixture. Break chocolate bar into small pieces and add to mixture. For each cookie drop a tablespoon of mixture onto a cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 14 minutes.

Serves: 12
Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Kid tested and APPROVED!

Notes from the recipe:

• I substituted peanut butter instead of almond butter
• I substituted brown sugar for their sweetener
• We used semi-sweet chocolate chips... and LOTS of them
• Recipe does not require eggs so we were free to sample our product right up until it was cooked!

*Parchment Paper is where it's at... just discovered it in the last year. It cooks everything evenly and makes for easy clean-up. Woot woot!

One last thing: I rarely ever follow a recipe exactly as it was intended.  In the last year, I started cooking and baking from instinct and experience and my food has gotten exponentially better.  I generally use a recipe as a jumping off point and have fun from there.  I'm pretty certain my mom has never used a recipe in her life. J/K... maybe once or twice.

Enjoy!

Girlie Pink Icing Recipe

Dye-free, Gluten-free Girlie Pink Vanilla Icing
1           8 ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup Sweetener (powdered sugar or honey or maple syrup)
1 tsp     Vanilla
1           Beet

Cut beet in eighths. Add to 1/4 cup boiling water in sauce pan.  Boil until water is a gorgeous ruby red. Strain beet pieces and set aside red liquid to cool.  Add sweetener and vanilla to cream cheese.  Mix well.  Add cooled beet juice to cream cheese mixture just like red food coloring until you get your desired color!

Gluten-Free Cupcakes tricks and recipes to follow!

Opening Day

Good day and welcome to my new blog.  In The Beehive I will be highlighting my extremely adorable children and their adventures and mishaps, my family's gluten-free lifestyle, and generally keeping you all informed of the cool things that this hippie-turned-mainstream family are all about.  Come on in.