Barbara's Pumpkin Muffins - Gluten-free, Vegan, Delicious, with an oil-free variation

I've  been working on my Pumpkin Muffin Recipe this fall, and have come up with an improved recipe, with an oil-free alternative.  I think you will really like it.  I will post it here, and put a link to it on the original Pumpkin Muffin Recipe page.

BARBARA'S PUMPKIN MUFFINS

Gluten-free, Vegan, Delicious, with an oil-free variation
By Barbara Frohne

www.wildflowermorningrecipes.blogspot.com

WET INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup water or dairy free milk
one 15 oz can pumpkin
1/3 cup oil OR 6 dried prunes soaked in the water until they are softened
1/3 cup honey

DRY INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup garbanzo flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch

3/4 cup white or brown rice flour

3/4 cup sorghum flour or oat flour
1/3 cup flaxseed meal (grind whole flax seeds in a blender or coffee grinder)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare your muffin pan by spraying pan spray into each cup, or using muffin papers.

Puree the wet ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix together completely. Add the wet ingredients from the blender to the flour mixture in the large bowl and blend with a large spoon until everything is just mixed together, no longer. Spoon into a greased muffin pan or muffin paper. Mound the dough up to the top of the muffin cup.

Oil Free alternative: Soak 6 dried prunes in the 3/4 cup water until they are softened. Blend until smooth. Puree with the other wet ingredients. Substitute the prune puree in place of the oil in the wet ingredents.

Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 30 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

The link to the old recipe is here.

Barbara's Bountiful Blessings Bread

 I have been needing to put this recipe on the web for quite a long while, but I have been holding off, because I didn't have photographs to share too.  I decided that because my friend needs the recipe today, that I will put it up without the photos, hoping that someday I will manage to not be in such a hurry to eat the bread and remember to get out the camera.

I am pretty sure that if you like a hearty, healthy bread, that you will like this satisfying loaf.

Barbara's Bountiful Blessings Bread
http://wildflowermorningrecipes.blogspot.com/
Gluten-free and Vegan
Makes 2 loaves

By Barbara Frohne

(With directions suitable for living in a dry climate.  If you live in a warm humid place the steam will likely not be needed.)

Step 1:  Mix the following into a small bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 1/3 cup warm water

Step 2:  Measure and mix the following ingredients into a large bowl.
1/3 cup ground flax seed
1/3 cup ground chia seed
1/4 cup psylium seed husks,
1/4 teaspoon vitamin C powder
2 cups tapioca flour
2 cups millet flour
2 cups sorghum flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
8 teaspoons active dry yeast

Step 3:  Put a teakettle on the burner and bring it to a boil.  Set it so it won't whistle, but steam will pour out of the spout instead. 

Step 4:  Add the following to the very large bowl, and mix very well for a minute or two with a wooden spoon.  If it is too stiff for the spoon, knead with your hand in the bowl or on the counter, but it doesn't need much more flour.  You want to keep it light.
1/2 cup light cooking oil (I use grapeseed oil)
3 cups warm water
The pre-soaked seed mixture from step 1

Step 5:    Place a dish of water on the bottom shelf of the oven to provide humididy in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 390 degrees.  

Step 6:  You should have a sticky dough now.  Spray two loaf pans.   Sprinkle some rice flour or sorghum flour on the counter.   Divide your dough in two pieces.  Place one piece at a time on the counter and shape into a loaf shape.  Place into the loaf pans.  The dough is sticky and will stick to your hands, but do the best you can to manage it, keeping it as light and tender as possible. 

Step 7:  Set the loaf pans on top of the stove with the steam from the teapot aimed at them.  Let them rise for 15 – 20 minutes.  Make sure the oven is pre-heating. 

Step 8: Bake at 390 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes, or until the loaves are browned and loaves sound hollow.  (You might need longer. I think I did last time, but can't remember how many minutes I added.  It might have been more then 1 hour all together.)

Step 9:  Remove from oven and loaf pans and cool.  And try to resist the temptation to eat it all right now.

Stuffed Yams with White Beans and Kale - The New Breakfast

We are making some changes in what we eat.  We attended a seminar by Dr. Linda Carney this weekend.  We learned some important things that seemed timely in our health journey.  My husband is searching for ways to reverse atherosclerosis.  We learned that leafy greens dilate blood vessels, and heal endothelial cells.  Endothelial cells are the lining for the blood vessels.  That is where the plaque builds up.  Oil and most other fats damage endothelial cells, yes, even olive oil.  But walnuts and flax seed don't harm the lining of the blood vessels.  They contain the essential fatty acids, Omega 3's that are important all through the body. 

Dr. Carney recommends that everyone eat greens, beans and squash or yams for breakfast.  Yes, I know that is a big switch in ideas about what makes a healthy breakfast, but for us, it was worth a try.  "Breakfast like a king," you know.  We are setting out on a month long journey to see what happens to our health if we eat this way.

For lunch eat more beans, and greens, and other veggies.  You can end with fruit if you would like a little sweetness to make the pleasure center of your brain happy.

For supper eat whole grains and fruit.  Oatmeal or oat groats are a good choice.  Brown rice is also a good choice for those who can't eat oats. 

Yesterday we started by eating yams, salad greens and freshly cooked garbonzo beans.  I found out that the garbonzo beans balanced out the super sweet taste of the yams.  I haven't like yams that much before, because they are so sweet, but it may be that I haven't eaten them with beans before.  I was surprised that I liked them plain, and they didn't even need salt. 

Yesterday I searched out some new recipes and found a couple that we are going to try this week.  I think that all the recipes will need tweaked, to get rid of oil or vinegar or other unnecessary, or even harmful ingredients.  As I adapt recipes I will be posting them here.  I hope they will be helpful in your search for good health also.

I cooked some Great Northern Beans in the crock pot overnight, so they were ready when I got up this morning around 6:30.   I rinsed the yams I bought yesterday, placed then a baking sheet, at 400 degrees.  While they were baking I had some quite time for Bible study and prayer.  About 7:40 my daughter got the asparagus ready, and I fixed the kale.  Breakfast was on the table at 8 am.  It wasn't as hard as thought it would be to do this.  It just takes a little thought and advance preparation.

After breakfast I heard these comments.

"This tasted much better then I thought it would."

"I didn't think I would like yams this way, but I now like it better then any other way I've eaten yams."

"This was really filling."

"I feel satisfied." 

"We are going to have to make this again."

And so we will. 

Stuffed Yams with White Beans and Kale
www.awildflowermorning.blogspot.com

4 medium sized yams
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 bunches of kale, washed and chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
1/4 tsp dried mild pepper flakes
3 cups of cooked Great Northern Beans, or other white beans
1/2 tsp salt

Wash the yams, and place on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven.  Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the yams are about finished, placed the onions and garlic in a dry skillet on medium heat.  Stir often so they do not stick.  If they start to stick, you can sprinkle water on them.  When they are beginning to soften add the damp kale.  If it is dry, sprinkle some more water on them.  Stir.  Then put on a lid to help them steam.  When they start to change the color of green add the Italian herbs, pepper flakes and salt.  Stir.  Add the beans, and gently stir, just enough to mix them in the green.  Heat until they are warm.  Be careful not to mash the beans. 

Place a yam on a plate.  Cut it almost in half, lengthwise, like it was a baked potato.  Squish it open just a little, and spoon in some of the kale and bean mixture.  Place some spears of asparagus on the side.  Do the same to the remaining 3 yams.  Serve with a happy heart. 

Garbonzo Rice Stew

I'm trying to use the food that I have on hand, and not run to the store to buy something new all the time.  I am trying not to let anything spoil in the fridge before it is used.

I cooked a crock pot full of garbonzo beans on Friday, and there were still quite a few left over today, sitting in the refrigerator waiting to be  eaten.  I decided that we needed some kind of soup, and that garbonzos were going to be the main ingredient.  I looked around on the internet to get a few ideas, and then came up with my own recipe, based on the ingredients I had on hand, and suggestions from my kids.

We did the photo shoot before we ate.  While eating, the kids and I agreed that this soup needed something else.  We added some brown rice, left-over in the refrigerator, and now we think the soup is perfect.  But you will have to guess what it looks like with rice added.

Garbonzo Rice Stew

1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced,
3 garlic, minced
1Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1/8 tsp tumeric
2 Tbsp LaChicky vegan/gluten-free/soy free Chicken style seasoning (or other chicken style seasoning)
1 bunch of kale, chopped
8 cups water
1 tsp salt (or less, depeding on the saltiness of  your beans and your chicken-style seasoning)
6 cups pre-cooked garbonzo beans, also known as chickpeas.  (If you use canned beans, you will need to decrease the salt in the recipe.)
4 cups cooked brown rice

Saute the onions, carrots and garlic in the olive oil until soft.  Add the red pepper flakes, cumin, Italian herbs, tumeric, LaChicky seasoning, chopped kale, water and salt.  Stir.  Add the garbonzos.  Scoop out 2 - 4 cups of the soup, and blend until smooth in a blender.  Place back into the soup pot.  Add the brown rice.  Bring to a boil.  Serve with bread, or crackers and mashed avocado on the side for a delicious lunch.

Chickpea Flatbread - Gluten-free, Vegan

Oh my!  Oh my!  I just made the most fabulous gluten-free, vegan, flat bread I've ever made.  It is a little bit like foccacia, and a little bit like pizza.  Preparation was easy, and the kids are begging me to make it again for supper, so I know it is a good one.  It is made from chickpea flour, something that is a staple in many gluten-free kitchens already.

From my reading on the web, it appears that chickpea flat breads were first made in Italy, and then spread to south France, and now are common in South America too where many Europeans immigrated.  I am certain that my version is not authentic, but it is tasty, and nutritious, fitting the needs of my American family.  Your family might like it too.

I include 1/2 an onion in each recipe.  In my opinion, that is what makes this bread fabulous.  But I know other people would disagree with me.  I am pretty certain you could leave it out, as many recipes have no onions or other veggies in them.  But since I eat a plant based diet, I add veggies to any dish possible. Who knows, maybe next time I'll add some kale.

It doesn't taste a bit like chickpeas or beans when it is baked.  If you have people in the family who might think they don't like chickpeas, call it by it's Genovese name, Farinata, instead.

By the way, you may want to consider making a double or a triple batch, because the bread disappears quickly. 

Chickpea Flatbread - Gluten-free Vegan
www.wildflowermorningrecipes.blogspot.com

1 1/4 cups chickpea flour, also called garbonzo flour or besan
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 - 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped small
1/2 can of black olives, sliced

1.   Mix together the chickpea flour, salt and water.   Leave it to rest for 30 minutes or more.

2.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 

3. Chop the onions finely, and slice the olives.  

4.  Pour the olive oil in the bottom of a cast iron skillet (12 inches round), or other oven proof pan, such as a pizza stone, or even a casserole dish.  Wipe a little of the oil up the sides of the pan about 1/2 inch.  Evenly distribute the onions in the pan, and then sprinkle the olives on top of the onions.  

5.  When the batter has sat long enough, evenly pour it over the onions and olives, careful to cover the bottom of the pan to equal depths of batter.

6.  Place the pan in the hot oven,and let bake for around 25 minutes, or until firm and starting to get a little crispy.  Let the flatbread cool before cutting and handling.