Gluten Free Baking Contest Winner: Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe won Honorable Mention as well as our Kid's Choice Award for our Gluten Free Baking Contest!  The recipe was made by Tommi Sellers and was absolutely delicious!  Please forgive our poor photography!

INGREDIENTS:

For the Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes:

1 and 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Baking Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, if using frozen do not thaw first
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
(1) 8 ounce block full-fat cream cheese, very soft
5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract (optional, but really amps up the lemon flavor)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl combine 1 and 3/4 cups of the Bob’s Red Mill Baking Flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl combine the sour cream, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice; whisk well to combine and set aside.
3. In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add in the granulated sugar and beat until well combined. Add in the egg and mix well. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add in 1/flour mixture and mix until just combined (this should take about 5 seconds). Add the sour cream mixture and mix until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the floured blueberries (and any excess flour in the bowl) and lemon zest.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 
5. For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
6. In a medium bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-speed until smooth and creamy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the powdered sugar and lemon juice, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract, lemon extract (if using); beat until smooth.

Roasted Green Beans, Mushrooms, and Onions

Forget the gross canned green bean casserole this Thanksgiving and wow your guests with these gourmet (and simple to make) green beans for a fresh take on the Thanksgiving staple!

1 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 c. fresh bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs (use gluten-free if desired)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

See the entire recipe and directions at Delish.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

This recipe is delicious and makes wonderful use of the peppers and tomatoes available at Farmer's Markets- plus it's gluten free!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly and drained
2 cups filtered or spring water
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
¾ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (see note)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed
¼  teaspoon turmeric
4 large sweet red, yellow, or orange peppers
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)

See the entire recipe and directions at Laura Theodore.

One Bowl Lemon Cake

This is an amazing, low sugar cake recipe that's perfect for summer! 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp yogurt, such as coconut milk yogurt
1/3 cup oil (60g)
2 cups spelt, white, or GF all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp each: baking soda and salt
1 cup unrefined sugar or xylitol
Optional Frosting: Beat together just the thick cream from two cans of coconut milk with 2 tsp lemon juice, pinch stevia or 6-8 tbsp powdered sugar, and 2 tsp lemon zest

See the entire recipe and directions at Chocolate Covered Katie.

Collard Greens Wrap – Great for Reducing Carbs

This is less of a recipe than a helpful tip to pass on. My husband has been trying to reduce his carb intake, and our one downfall is tortillas. Well, we’ve discovered that collard greens make a fantastic substitute for tortillas (or sandwich bread) for anyone trying to reduce their carb intake (they’re also nice for gluten free diets). They’re tasty and sturdy to hold any fillings, and they’re absolutely chock full of nutrients.

Honest Fare has a great tutorial on how to prepare collard greens for using in wraps on their website (along with a nice recipe), here. Another nice thing about using collard greens is that they last a long time in the fridge, even when made in advance with fillings for lunches.
 

Lemon Turmeric Quinoa

Turmeric is a fantastic anti-inflammatory spice, and this recipe is an easy (and delicious) way to add a bit more to your diet; plus this recipe only uses 5 ingredients, so it's simple to put together!

3 cups cooked quinoa (from 1 cup uncooked)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon (about 1 tablespoon juice, 1 teaspoon zest)
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt

optional add-ins: chopped green onions, Thai basil, ground black pepper, cashews, etc.

Read the entire recipe and directions at Simply Quinoa.

Tuscan Toasted Red Quinoa Pilaf

If you've never had red quinoa, this recipe is a perfect way to serve it.  Red quinoa has more fiber than regular white quinoa, and while both varieties are great for you, if you haven't tried the red variety, it's a real treat!

Quinoa is a wonderful, high protein ancient grain that is also gluten free.  The Ancient Grains brand we carry is washed and pre-rinsed so it's ready to cook.  Quinoa should always be rinsed before preparing, but since the grains are tiny it can be a real challenge with most colanders, so the kind we carry at the store saves you a step!

2 cups red quinoa
4 cups lower-salt chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 medium lemon, finely grated to yield 1 tsp. zest and squeezed to yield 2 Tbs. juice
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Read the entire recipe and directions at Fine Cooking.

Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna (dairy free)

Zucchini is such a versatile ingredient, and it makes a fantastic substitute for lasagna noodles in this recipe for a delicious, grain free meal!

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini
2 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce
14 oz firm tofu
1 tsp salt, plus extra for the zucchini
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup nutritional yeast or parmesan, optional
1 cup shredded mozzarella (Daiya vegan shreds are a fantastic dairy free option)

To make this recipe even easier, you can substitute Tofutti's "Better Than Ricotta" that we have available in our store's refrigerated section.  

See the entire recipe and directions at Chocolate Covered Katie.

Hearty Flax Seed Pancakes

Flax seeds are full of good fiber and omega-3 fatty acids!  These make a delicious, hearty breakfast that satisfies for hours.

1/4 cup ground golden flax seed meal
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon nut milk or use water
1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
tiny pinch sea salt

optional: dash of cinnamon & nutmeg
optional: a little sweetener of your choice
add to skillet/pan: a little organic vegetable shortening or any cooking fat/oil

See the entire recipe and directions at Forest and Fauna.

Quinoa Salad with Grilled Vegetables

This salad is the most gorgeous thing ever, and is fantastic for end of summer barbecues! Grilling the vegetables gives them such a delicious, smoky flavor, and quinoa is a wonderful, high protein grain.

Ingredients:

1 large red onion, peeled, trimmed, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
1 medium eggplant, trimmed, sliced
2 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed
1 pound asparagus spears, ends trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 ears of fresh corn, corn silk removed, husks on
3 cups cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Juice from 1 lemon
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Read the entire recipe and directions at The Gluten Free Goddess.

Chia Lemon Quinoa Bowl (gluten free and dairy free)

This recipe is simple, light, and fresh, and perfect for our warmer weather!

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1½ cups almond milk
• 4½ Tbsp. pure maple syrup (or honey)
• 3 Tbsp. slivered almonds
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• pinch fresh lemon zest

See the entire recipe and directions at The Healthy Apple.

To read more about the many benefits of quinoa, see this article.

Easy Gluten Free Dumplings with Udi's Frozen Pizza Crusts

One of our wonderful customers, Donna Karp, passed on a fantastic tip for making gluten free dumplings.  She uses the frozen Udi’s Pizza Crusts we have at the store, and then cuts them with a pizza cutter into small squares (roughly ¾ inch each). 

She said that adding them to soups at the end of cooking makes for wonderful gluten free dumplings that don’t get goopy or stick together.  She said she frequently uses them with homemade chicken soup, though they would be great with any soup to make it a little more substantial.

We’re thrilled that she shared this amazing tip with us and hope that it helps some of our other readers!  If you have any recipes or suggestions you’d  like to share, please email us at passhealthfoods@gmail.com!

Grain Free Cauliflower Crust Pizza Bites

This is a fantastic pizza crust if you’re avoiding carbs or gluten- I made it for a relative on a Paleo diet and we were all surprised how nicely these turned out!  

•    1 medium cauliflower, cored and coarsely chopped
•    1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
•     1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
•     2 eggs, beaten
•     2 teaspoon chopped garlic
•     salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Add the cauliflower to a food processor and process until it achieves a rice like consistency.  I have a nine cup food processor and had to do the cauliflower in batches since it was too large to chop properly.

When the cauliflower is cropped finely, transfer it to a thin tea towel (you can also use a clean cotton shirt) and squeeze as much liquid out as possible.  Removing the water from the cauliflower will help it to make a crisp crust without being mushy.

When you have finished squeezing the cauliflower, transfer to a large bowl and add in the remaining ingredients, stirring until mixed completely.

Flatten balls on to a cookie sheet (this is very similar to making peanut butter cookies, just with a mushier "dough") and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  I have a Pampered Chef scoop that I used that worked perfectly.

At this point, you can cool the cauliflower crusts on a metal rack and freeze for a later use, or add sauce and cheese (and any other toppings) and bake an additional 5-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

MAKE AHEAD FREEZER OPTION:
If you freeze the crusts (and they do freeze very well), do so before adding the toppings.  Remove them from the freezer and top them with sauce and cheese and then bake them (still frozen) at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Paleo Gingerbread Loaf

This is a great recipe for December, that's perfect for breakfast or a snack with a nice mug of tea. It's suitable for Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets.

INGREDIENTS:

⅔ cup molasses
4 eggs
¼ cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
optional: 1 tsp orange zest

Read the entire recipe and directions at the Primal Bites Blog.

Light and Fluffy Gluten Free Dinner Rolls

One frequent problem with gluten free baking is that gluten free breads don't usually rise as much as conventional wheat baked goods; these rolls are an exception- and they're exceptional!

 Ingredients:

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons xanthan gum
1 1/4 cups white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

See the entire recipe and directions at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures.

Apple Flaxjacks

I love these flaxjacks!  They're a super healthy way to start the day!

• 1 jumbo egg
• 2 Tbs. ground flax seed, such as Barlean’s Forti-Flax
• 1 small apple, unpeeled, cored, and shredded1/2 tsp. ground ginger and/or cinnamon
• 2 tsp. dry sweetener (such as palm sugar or erythritol), or a few drops NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia, optional
• 2 tsp. coconut oil

Read the full recipe and directions at Better Nutrition.

PER SERVING: 299 cal; 10g pro; 21g total fat (10g sat fat); 22g carb; 208mg chol; 84mg sod; 6g fiber; 14g sugars

Grain Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This is an amazing recipe for late summer,, to use up all the zucchini left in the garden.  It's also gluten free, and grain free, and dairy free.  If you've never baked with almond flour, you're in for a treat- it's wonderful!

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups blanched almond flour
¼ cup cacao powder
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons coconut oil
¼ cup honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla stevia
¾ cup zucchini, grated

Read the entire recipe and directions at Elena's Pantry.

Chai Spice Almond Flour Banana Bread (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo)

This might be the best gluten free and grain free bread you ever taste.  Almond flour is absolutely delicious, and this smells and tastes like fall.  

3 cups blanched almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large ripe bananas
3 large eggs
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil for Paleo)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Read the full recipe and directions at Delicious as it Looks.

Carrot, Walnut, Cranberry Bread with Almond Flour

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup almond flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons coconut oil
4 bananas, mashed (1 cup)
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
4 medium carrots, shredded
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Read the complete recipe and directions at bigeatstinykitchen.com

Black Bean and Brown Rice Salad

This salad is great on its own or makes a fantastic wrap for lunch or dinner!

• 1 1/2 cups home-cooked black beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drain and rinse
• 3 cups cooked and cooled brown rice, cooked to package directions (optional quinoa)
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated raw zucchini
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 14 teaspoon black pepper
• Kosher or sea salt to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Read the complete recipe and directions at skinnyms.com