Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Semi-Sweet Chocolate Icing

Original recipe makes 12 servings
Ingredients
Cake:
 1/2 cup almond flour
 1/2 cup tapioca flour
 1/2 cup rice flour
 1 cup carob powder, sifted
 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 3/4 cup coconut oil at room temperature (olive oil works, too)
 3 T molasses
 2/3 cup stevia
 3 eggs
 2 egg yolks
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1 T yogurt

1 1/2 c buttermilk
Icing:
 5 ounces carob chips
 1/2 cup yogurt
 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan or 24 cupcake cups and set aside. For round cake, one recipe makes 1 8-inch layer plus 1 4-inch layer
In a medium bowl, sift together the almond, tapioca, and rice flours with the carob powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a large mixer bowl, cream the coconut oil until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the stevia & molasses; whip until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla. On low speed, combine the four mixture with the wet ingredients.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake cake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan.

To make the icing, in the top of a double boiler over medium high heat, melt the carob chips (or use microwave). Remove from heat and cool until warm. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla; add milk. Stir in additional milk to make desired consistency. Once the cake is thoroughly cool, spread a thin layer of frosting over the top.

Note: I have not tried the icing, yet. I also forgot the buttermilk, but it still tasted good without it. First picture is the batch without buttermilk. Second picture is a batch with buttermilk. Both taste good, but there is definitely a different texture.so, if you want a dense almost brownies like cake, leave the buttermilk out. If you want a light, traditional cake feel, keep it in or use your choice of milk replacement. 

Almond Gluten-free Shortbread cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup blanched almonds (whole)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
11/2 tbsps tapioca starch
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 tbsps coconut oil (room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons melted, for pan)
1 cup stevia (plus 2 tablespoons for pan)
3 large eggs
3 tbsps orange juice (freshly squeezed)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Gluten-Free Yellow Cake

1 1/2 cups white rice flour (try almond flour)
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
1/2 c + 2 T stevia
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and rice flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.
Mix the white rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together and set aside.
Mix the eggs, stevia, and mayonnaise until fluffy. Add the flour mixture, milk and vanilla and mix well. Spread batter into the prepared pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Cakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool completely then frost, if desired.

BBQ Ribs

1 rack of ribs
1 heaping T Better than Bullion Base (vegetable or Beef)
Water (enough to cover the ribs in a large pot)
1 recipe of BBQ Sauce

Optional: 1 c orange juice, divided

Directions:
Cut rack to fit in pan. Cover with water & add bullion paste. Bring to a boil & cook 45 minutes.

Cover ribs with BBQ sauce. Boil another 5 minutes, then marinate in sauce for at least 30 minutes. Remove from pot & wrap in foil with cooking/marinade juices & add orange juice. Close foil & place on grill for 15-20 minutes. 

Homemade BBQ Sauce

1/2 c ketchup 
2 1/2 T worcestershire sauce
1/2 T chili powder
1/4 t salt
1 t tapatío hot sauce (optional)
1 c water

Mix all ingredients together, refigerate in sealed container up to 2 weeks to use on your favorite meats.

Homemade Ketchup

TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces Tomato Paste

3 T molasses or pure maple syrup 

1/2 teaspoon Dry Ground Mustard (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/2 scant teaspoon white pepper 
Shallow 1/4 c white wine vinegar 
2/3 cup Water

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Stir until the spices are completely dissolved and incorporated.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge and overnight for the flavors to develop. This ketchup recipe should last for 3 weeks in the fridge.

Use where ever ketchup is called for and enjoy!

Berry Bean Bread

3 c all-purpose flour (I used 5 parts ground almonds, 4 parts ground quinoa, 1 part colloidal oatmeal)
3/4 c stevia
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 c cooked navy beans (no salt)
2/3 c orange juice
1 large egg
1 c milk (wIuse goat milk, but non-dairy milk would work, too)
1 T grated orange peel (optional)
1/2 c fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 c fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, stevia, baking powder, salt, & baking soda. Purée navy beans with orange juice in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Add puréed navy beans, egg, & milk to flour mixture. Stir  just until flour mixture is moistened.

Add orange peel, blueberries, cranberries, & walnuts to flour & bean mixture. Stir just until combined.

Pour into greased loaf pan or 24 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake loaf for 20-30 minutes, or muffins for 15-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Pinto Bean Applesauce Raisin Cookies

1 c stevia
1/4 c molasses
1/2 c coconut oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 c cooked pinto beans
3/4 c chunky applesauce
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour (mine is 1 part colloidal oatmeal, 4 parts ground quinoa)
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c golden raisins

Preheat oven to 375°.
Purée pinto beans & set aside.
In a food processor, combine stevia, molasses & coconut oil. Pulse until smooth. Add eggs & blend well. Add puréed pinto beans & applesauce. Beat until smooth.

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add to creamed mixture & mix until smooth. Stir in nuts & raisins. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on rack. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Quick-Soak for Dry Beans

How To Quick-Soak Dried BeansWhat You Need

Ingredients
Dried beans, any amount
Water

Equipment
Saucepan or small Dutch oven

Instructions

Rinse the beans: Pour the beans into a colander and rinse them under cool running water. Check and discard any stones or other debris.
Drain.
Transfer to the saucepan and cover with water: Tip the beans into a pot and cover with about 2 inches of water.
Boil the beans: Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cook the beans for 1 minute, then remove the pot from the heat.
Soak for 1 hour: Cover with a lid and let the beans to soak in the warm water for one hour.
Drain the beans: Drain the beans into a colander. Rinse and begin to cook according to your recipe.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Original recipe makes 24

Ingredients

 1 1/2 cups white rice flour
 3/4 cup almond meal
 1/2 cup unsweetened carob powder
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 1 tablespoon baking powder
 4 eggs
 1/2 cup + 2 T stevia
 2/3 cup yogurt
 1 cup milk
 2 teaspoons gf vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with paper baking cups.
In a medium bowl, stir together the rice flour, millet flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, baking powder and xanathan gum. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.

Slow - Cooker Healthy Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
4 green bell peppers
1 lb. ground turkey
1 large tomato, diced
1 T dried basil, or 2 drops basil essential oil
1 t black pepper or 1 drop black pepper essential oil
1 T oregano or 2 drops oregano essential oil
¼ cup chopped onion
1½ cups cooked rice
2 tsp sea salt (divided)
1 small can tomato paste
Instructions
Combine ground turkey, onions, rice, tomato paste, essential oils or equivalent spices and 1 tsp sea salt and mix well.
Chop off the tops and hollow out each pepper, removing all seeds.
Evenly stuff each pepper with the turkey/rice mixture.
Place stuffed peppers in the slow-cooker.
Combine crushed tomatoes, basil and 1 tsp seasoned salt to make a sauce.
Cover stuffed peppers and the bottom of the slow-cooker with the sauce.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Quinoa Pudding/Baby Food

1/2 c quinoa
1 c water
1/2 c peeled & diced apples and/or pears
1/2 c milk (I used goat milk, but dairy-free milk substitute would work)
Cinnamon and stevia (optional)

Bring water to boil. Add quinoa, stir, return to, a boil, then reduced to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add diced fruit. Simmer until fruit is tender & water is absobed. Put quinoa fruit mixture & milk in blender & blend until about the texture of tapioca pudding. Add cinnamon and stevia, if desired. Enjoy!