Recipe 7: Sweet Potato Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I first like to start out by saying i got this recipe from my aunt who got it from recipes for Gluten-Free kids: fun eats from breakfast to treats cookbook (because my cousins are gluten sensitive). These cupcakes are delicious especially with some milk! I know i said i do better when i make my own recipes but desserts are tricky and should not be messed with ;) Here's how this one goes:

For the cupcakes:

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend* 

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon xanathan gum 

1/4 ground allspice

3/4 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1/2 chopped walnuts or pecans ( I used walnuts, if allergic you can omit) 

1/2 cup raisins

(*flour blend contains: 1 cup white rice flour, 1 cup sorghum flour, tapioca flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 cup almond or coconut flour (i use coconut flour). Mix flours and there you have it)  

Preheat oven to 325. Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper baking cups. Whisk flour blend, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, xanathan gum, and allspice in a medium bowl. Beat mashed sweet potato, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at medium speed 30 seconds or until well blended. Stir in 1/2 cup walnuts and raisins. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Prepare cream cheese frosting. Frost cupcakes; garnish with walnuts. Makes 18 cupcakes. 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese package

1/4 cup margarine 

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese and margarine in a medium bowl with electric mixer at medium- high speed until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until well blended. Beat in salt and vanilla. Makes 3 cups.

So this recipes might sound like a lot of work, especially for those not acquainted with gluten free recipes, but it is totally worth it! These cupcakes are very tasty and a huge hit! I will definitely be making these again. 

Recipe 6: My GF Bean Burritos

So since my last entree was a disaster ;) i have decided to make another one to redeem myself. I am still working on the other recipe so you wont be hearing form me about that one for a while. This time i made up my own recipe for bean burritos, because recently i have become a vegetarian and have decided to incorporate this in my gluten free trials. Here is goes:

1 Can of Black Beans (Slightly drained of the liquid)
1/2 of an Onion (Chopped)
2 Garlic Cloves (Chopped)
About 5 Corn Tortillas
1 Tablespoon of Tomato Sauce
1 Cup of White Rice (Cooked ahead of time)
Olive Oil (Enough to lightly coat frying pan)
1 Cup of Shredded Colby Cheese (Or cheese of your choice)
Garlic Powder (To taste)
Onion Powder (To taste)
Garlic & herb Seasoning Blend (To taste)
Adobo (To taste)

Heat oil in frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until they become translucent. Add in beans, tomato sauce, and seasonings then cook for about 10-15 minutes. Once the bean mixture becomes thick enough, turn it off.      In another frying pan, heat tortillas until they turn slightly golden. Next assemble the burritos: Cheese, rice, and beans. Preheat oven to 350 and cook burritos for about 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Take them out and enjoy with some salsa.
This recipe was so much better than last weeks. I had way more fun coming up with this one and it turned out 1000 times better. The burritos taste great! I will definitely make this again!!

Recipe 5: The Gluten Free Goddess' Vegan Garden Loaf with Maple Apricot Glaze

So for this week i wanted to try a gluten free vegan entree. I decided to find a recipe as opposed to making one up myself. The found this recipe on the gluten free goddess blog, if you want to see her story behind it you can click the link. Here is how it goes:

Ingredients:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion- red or sweet
2 heaping cups chopped Baby Bella or Cremini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 cup cooked quinoa (I cooked it in my rice cooker- here's how)
1 cup toasted gluten-free bread or waffle crumbs
2 tablespoons Annie's Organic Ketchup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian Herb Mix- basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, marjoram
1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
3-4 scallions (spring onions) sliced thin, white to light green section
1 baked sweet potato, peeled, diced (take it out before it's cooked too much, not too soft)

Maple Apricot Glaze:

1/4 cup no-sugar apricot fruit spread

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

A sprinkle of cinnamon and cumin

Hot red chili flakes, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a glass bread loaf pan.  

Or-- my latest tip is to line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper that extends up above the longer sides. When the loaf has baked, and set a bit, lift out the loaf in one whole piece.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion until it is translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic; stir until softened. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir. Add the spinach. Season with sea salt and ground pepper. Stir and cook down until the mixture is soft- about seven minutes or so.

Spoon the skillet vegetables into a food processor bowl and pulse to make a grainy mixture. Don't over-process it, you want some texture.

Dump the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, gluten-free breadcrumbs, ketchup, molasses and olive oil and stir to combine. Add in your dried herbs, rosemary, scallions, and mix to distribute. You want a moist mixture that sticks together when you press it with a spoon. if you need more ketchup to hold it together, add it now, maybe a tablespoon.

Last- add in the diced sweet potato and fold in gently.

Spoon the loaf mixture into the oiled loaf pan and shape it with moist fingers, pressing it tight into the pan. Smooth the top.

Make your glaze.

Pour the glaze all over the top of the loaf.

Tent loosely with a piece of foil. Bake in the center of a preheated oven until heated through and the edges of the glaze are bubbling- about 25 to 30 minutes.

Allow the loaf to set for ten minutes, tented with foil. This helps it to settle, and makes it easier to slice. Slice into portions and lift out with thin spatula. It should hold together.

Makes six slices. Wrap and store leftovers in the fridge.

So overall this recipe turned out to be a failure. The loaf didn't stick together and looked a mushy mess. The best picture i got was of it still in the pan.

It tasted okay but i don't think i will make it again. Here is the link for the recipe: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/05/garden-loaf-with-maple-apricot-glaze.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FMVjL+%28Gluten-Free+Goddess%29

Recipe 4: Guacamole & Chips

This is my own recipe that i have been making for a couple of years, it is doesn't need to be adjusted because it is naturally gluten free. It is really quick and easy. Keep in mind that this recipe is usually to taste and is not usually a structured- This is how it basically goes:

For the Guacamole-

3 Avocados (Mashed)
1/2 of an Onion Diced
2 Garlic Cloves Finely Chopped
1/2 of a Jalapeño Pepper (I include the seeds for the spice but you don't have too)
1 Fistful of Fresh Cilantro ( Probably 1/4 of the bushel) Finely Chopped
1 Tomato Diced
1 Lime (Juiced)
Salt (To Taste)

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the salt. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, then salt the guacamole to your taste.

For the Chips-

10 Corn Tortillas ( Quartered)
Oil (For Frying)

Fry the quartered tortillas until they are golden brown, then place on paper towels to take out the excess oil. Salt to taste and enjoy with the guacamole.

Sadly, I was not able to get a photo of this recipe, but it is tasty nonetheless :)