Sharing My Heart (s)

It's just about Pumpkin time... and I'm ready to bake some yummy fall treats.  But I've had these heart macaron pictures since the early summer, waiting to make their debut.  Problem is I couldn't get a really good picture, so I held back from posting.

I decided today before I move on with the season, I must post the pictures anyway, and explain how they came to be.  These are vanilla macarons with a lemon swiss buttercream filling.  Yeah - they taste really good.  You can use this or this macaron recipes, or any of the hundreds of other recipes online.  The lemon swiss buttercream recipe is from my favorite food blogger, Stella at Bravetart.  Absolutely yummy!

I haven't been making macarons for very long, but once I started I quickly got obsessed.  So I was making them pretty regularly, for no real reason other than to make them (by the way,  macarons  freeze wonderfully unfilled, and thaw quickly).

So a very good friend who was getting married soon was trying to figure out the wedding cake thing - how do you feed 150 people without breaking the bank?  Have you seen the price of wedding cakes?!

Having watched me in the kitchen baking away at these cute little macarons, she wondered if it was possible to make them into a heart shape?  She had an idea.  Of course I said, 'Nope."  Can't possibly.  I can barely make them round.  But the more I thought about it, the more I thought it would be a fun thing to try; another way to feed my obsession.  So I said I would try.

And before I knew it, I was knocking these little hearts out like nobody's business.  This is before they were baked.  They are about 1 1/2" at the widest point, and about 1 1/4" in height.

Here are some out of the oven.  As you can see, they don't all come out quite like hearts.  Some of them have a Mickey Mouse style to them. And some of them were simply blobs. 

 Oh - and then there was this one.  I like to think of it as "art."  (I don't know how it happened, honest)

So by the end, I had a freezer filled with hundreds and hundreds of little pink hearts ready to be matched up and filled with lemony goodness.  The plan was to have a small traditional wedding cake, and then have a sheet cake (filled with lemon swiss buttercream) to be served to the masses at the wedding.  Each slice of the sheet cake would have a swirl of buttercream, and the heart would be tucked into the swirl.  It was really lovely.  Unfortunately - I don't have a good picture, but this will give you an idea.

And of course, by the end of the evening, we all broke into the 'macaron conga dance.'

And they lived happily ever after...  XOXO

Now onward to Fall  ..bring  on the pumpkin and fresh cranberries!

Gluten-free Cherry Almond Cake

Because life is a bowl of cherries!  Don't ya think?

Cherry season comes and goes quickly, so if I was going to bake something, it was now or never (or at least, until next year).  Recently I came across this Cherry Almond cake on a website I like to visit called The Joy of Baking.  I've always had good luck with recipes I've found there.   I mean, what a great combination - cherries (I keep typing cheeries instead of cherries LOL) and almond flour.  This recipe, of course, is gluten-full, so I thought it would be a good one to convert to gluten-free.

Lucky for me - it worked!  And I do mean luck - cause it doesn't always work (someday I'll start a blog with all of my bloopers).  I made this on a Saturday night, and didn't even taste it until Sunday morning.  Willpower!  Yes!

Besides using a gluten-free flour, I decreased the amount of flour in the recipe and increased the almond flour which is a great way to maintain a moist but tender crumb.  It worked out great, and is perfect with a cup o' java in the morning.  

I especially like the fact that it's not overly sweet; and even though there's not a lot of sugar in the recipe, next time I will replace part of the sugar with Erythritol which should work.  

Gluten-free Cherry Almond Cake (adapted from Joy of Baking)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 - 1 lb fresh cherries
• 3/4 cup gluten-free flour mix of your choice
• 3/4 cup ground almonds/almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 3/4 cups sugar or combination of sugar & sugar substitutes
• Confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (200 C)

Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and butter the bottom and sides.

1. Melt butter and set aside to cool.
2. Rinse, and pit cherries, then split in half and place cut side down on paper towels to remove excess juice.
3. In a bowl, mix together the flour, ground almonds, salt, xanthan gum, and baking powder and set aside.
4. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes at high speed until thick and pale yellow.
5. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
6. Pour the butter and milk down the side of the mixing bowl, and using a rubber spatula or whisk fold in the melted butter and milk into the egg mixture gently to avoid deflating the eggs.
7. Add the flour in 3 steps, folding it into the mixture each time.
8. Add cherries to the mix and gently fold them in (if you add too much of the juice the cake will change color)
9. Pour the batter into your prepared springform pan and smooth the batter using an offset spatula.
10. Place on center rack of oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool on cooling rack for 15 minutes then remove sides of springform pan and let completely cool before removing bottom of pan and parchment paper.

Dust with confectioners sugar just before serving.  Serve with frozen yogurt or whipped cream or by itself!  This cake seems to taste best if eaten with 2 days.

French Macarons, Round 2

And this is clearly the winner!   Look Ma! No nipples or hollows! Just beautiful feet!

 OK - so only someone who has baked macarons will understand that last statement.  

Yes - I thought I had these down to perfection when I posted Macarons last time.  I mean, they were beautiful, and delicious, and only had the slightly hint of nipple.  But they had one problem that no one who ate them cared about... except me.  Hollow!  A macaron bakers' second worse nightmare (first is no feet).

What is (are??) the macaron feet??  See just under the very top of the macaron shell - the kind of crumbly looking part (it's not really crumbly) - that's the foot.  We like them big :-)  What's the nipple?  If you look at this picture - the yellow macaron in the right front - you'll know what I mean.  And the hollow... well ... it's when there's a big air space between the top of the macaron and the bottom feet.  Here's a picture I found online.  Mine were worse.  I didn't take a picture.

The recipe I started with is from Bravetart and as much as I love Stella and her recipe (and her blog is simply one of my favorites because she is a fabulous pastry chef and fun blogger), I knew I had to venture out to try other recipes to get me past the 'hollow' hump.  Still - it was her blog and recipe that got me going on my quest for macaron perfection.

I don't know if you've looked recently (or ever, for that matter!), but there are a zillion recipes/blogs/youtube videos out there for making macarons.  There's the French method, and there's the Italian method.  I started with French and I'm sticking with it (I don't need anymore dirty bowls).  It's fascinating, because all of the recipes use egg whites, sugar/powdered sugar/almond flour - but everyone has different proportions and slight (or not so slight) variations in technique.  Yet they all seem to have beautiful pictures of macarons.  How can that be?  These are fussy little buggers, but somehow different proportions and different techniques work for people anyway.  (Of course, only a brave few actually show the inside of their macarons, where hollows hide).

So with a new recipe to try, and some changes in technique (more traditional)  - I did it!  Look - no hollows!

Simply chewy goodness with flavors that pop, that you can only find in a French macaron.

This recipe comes from Ms. Humble at Not So Humble Pie, who took a scientific method to come to her own proportions of egg white-sugar-almond flour that should bake up into a perfect macaron.  And hey, it worked!  I mean, after all, baking is about science as much as anything else, isn't it?

So with her proportions, and using some pretty traditional techniques, I got me some pretty darn good macs.

The more I make these (and I have been making them at every opportunity, including for no reason at all), the more I start experimenting with fillings.  So many possibilities!  These are vanilla bean macs with a strawberry cream cheese filling.  I ground up freeze dried strawberries and mixed it with the cream cheese and some powdered sugar.  The color comes only from the strawberries, along with an intense strawberry flavor.  Yes - freeze dried fruit - the sky's the limit on fillings.

So!  Today's recipe from Not So Humble Pie, with minor changes in technique:

Ingredients:

• 120 grams Almond Meal/Flour
• 200 grams Powdered Sugar
• 100 grams Egg Whites (I don't age them, but I try to leave them out for at least an hour, or as much as a day)
• 30-35 grams Sugar
• 1 Vanilla Bean, scrapped
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Prep your pans.  Line two (heavy weight) baking sheets with parchment paper, and have your pastry bag with tip ready.  (I use a template I made - I traced 1 1/2 inch circles on piece of parchment and then I put it under my baking parchment.  You can see the circles through the top piece.  Then after they are all piped - I pull the bottom sheet out and reuse it next time.)


2. Add the almond meal and powdered sugar to your food processor and pulse  for 15 seconds or so. Then sift, tossing any bits leftover that don't make it through.


3. Start beating the egg whites on low (about 4 on a kitchen aid) using the whip attachment  for about a minute (until foamy), and then add the salt, followed by the sugar and beat for another minute. (about 2 minutes total)


4. Add in the vanilla bean caviar and turn the mixer up to medium (6 on kitchen aid) for about 2 minutes. 


5. Add any food coloring, and then turn the mixer up to high (8 on kitchen aid) for about 2 minutes.  This is where you really need to pay attention so you don't overbeat.  The whites should be stiff, but not overly dry.  They should hold stiff peaks.


6. Remove the beater whip and bang it against the bowl to remove any egg whites.


7. Add about 1/3 of the the almond meal/sugar mixture to the egg whites, and start folding it in.  You don't have to be particularly gentle - you actually want to deflate the egg whites somewhat.  Once incorporated, add another 1/3, and repeat until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.   Now you REALLY want to pay attention to it.  You want to keep folding it until it gets to a "lava-like" consistency.  If you pick some up and drop it back down into the bowl, it should blend back into the batter after about 20 seconds.  Be careful not to overmix.  When  you think you're getting close, do another one or two folds and test it again.


8. When you have the batter just right (!), transfer it to your piping bag.


9. Start piping out the batter onto the pre-traced circles, staying just inside the edge of the circle.  Don't worry if you don't get it perfect.  I get my share of oval macarons.  Practice is what it's about.


10. When you've piped your first tray, rap the tray against the counter 3 or 4 times to remove any air bubbles that might be lurking within your macarons.  Repeat with your second tray.


11. Set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, you can preheat the oven to about 300 degrees.  That's the temperature that works for me - you'll have to experiment with your own oven. 


12. After about 30 minutes, when the macs are no longer tacky to the touch (lightly), you can put your first tray in the oven (I haven't had luck baking two trays at a time).  They take about 15-16 minutes for me - but again, you'll have to experiment with your oven.  How do you know when they're done? What I've been doing is very lightly nudging the top of one (usually an ugly one) to see if the top is loose - it will move slightly.  If it's loose I leave it in for another couple of minutes and test again.  You want that top on securely.


13. When the first tray is done, let them cool on the tray on a cooking rack for a while, before peeling them off.  Put the second tray in.


14. Once completely cooled, you can gently pull them off the parchment (If  there are some sticky spots just nudge it lightly with a sharp knife.  TIP: These babies are delicate. Always handle them gently on their sides.  If you grab them on their delicate tops, you'll probably put a hole in them.  Ask me how I know...


15. Match up bottoms and tops close in size, and put them together (carefully) with your favorite filling - then into the refrigerator they go in an air tight container for at least overnight.  That's when the magic happens!  Trust me.  Take them out about 15 minutes before serving.  I generally keep them in the refrigerator unless they are being served or eaten.

 Fillings I've used (no recipes - just to taste)

• Chocolate ganache: made with heavy cream OR coconut milk, and bittersweet chocolate.
• Lemon cream cheese: made with  cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and a little lemon juice
• Strawberry cream cheese: made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ground freeze dried strawberries.

I'm not a huge buttercream fan, but at some point I'll probably start using it in fillings. Meanwhile, I'm already thinking about what filling to try next!

Almond Lemon Ricotta Cheese Muffins - Gluten-Free

Y.A.M

Yet. Another. Muffin.

What can I say? I love muffins. They are comfort food to me. So the more choices the merrier!

These muffins really are as good as they look. Originally based on this one from the Food Network, I found many variations online. I looked at a bunch and picked up ideas to blend into yet another variation - Gluten free and reduced sugar. And of course, using Ricotta Cheese ups the protein, which is a great addition to any muffin. And who knew adding Ricotta cheese fluffs up a muffin, creating a texture similar to a gluten-full muffin? I surely will start experimenting with Ricotta cheese in more of my baking.

Gluten-free Lemon Almond Ricotta Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Gluten-free flour blend (or your favorite GF blend)
• 1 cup Almond Meal/flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 scant tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Sugar (you can replace half the sugar with Erythritol or Splenda)
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 Tbs lemon zest (this gives a strong lemon flavor; use less for a more subtle lemon flavor)
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup Ricotta cheese (I used reduced fat)
• 1 tsp Almond extract(use a little more for a more intense almond flavor)
• 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup milk
• sliced almonds, not toasted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.

1. Whisk flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add sugar and lemon zest and mix until blended well.
3. Add the Ricotta and blend.
4. Add the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract.
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.
6. Slowly add the milk and mix until just blended. The batter will be thick.
7. Fill muffin tins pretty full (an ice cream scoop is great for this).
8. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the tops, and press them into the batter lightly.
9. Bake for approximately 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Remove muffins from tins to cooling rack.

These freeze very well in an airtight freezer bag - just be sure you get all the air out. I take them out of the freezer and pop them into the microwave for about 15 seconds. They still taste fresh baked!

Bon Jour! French Macarons!

And Happy New Year!
A French Macaron (pronounced mac-a-ron), made with almond meal and egg whites, is not a Macaroon (pronounced mac-a-roon) made with coconut and egg whites (and often other stuff). What you see here is a macaron. I've been surprised at how many people I know have never heard of a macaron.

And of course, they're naturally gluten-free.

I put off making these babies for a long time because, well, I was intimidated. I knew they were challenging, but I knew that eventually I would try. I finally tried, and failed. Twice. It's all about getting the batter at the right consistency. First time I overmixed it (and then I overbaked), and second time I undermixed it. I think I had to get it wrong both ways before I figured out the right consistency.

The good news is they tasted great, even though they looked funny (no, I did not take pictures).

The ones here are made with blanched Almond meal/flour (and while I love Bob's Red Mill company and products, I buy my blanched Almond meal from Honeyville Farms at almost half the price). But I have also made them Trader Joes Almond Meal with skins on, and it works as long as you sift it a couple of times.



I have probably read 30 blogs and websites about making macarons, and I found it interesting to see the slightly different techniques used (and not used). But somehow they all seemed to end up with beautiful pictures of Macarons.

The blog I found the most helpful, and who's recipe I used (with minor tweaks) is from Stella at Bravetart, who is a professional macaron baker (hello.... can you say 'dream job'). Really good and sometimes amusing explanations and descriptions, with an emphasis on what's important when making macarons, and what's not. Worth a read (or two) if you're considering making macarons.

From what she describes, and from what I've read other places, and most importantly, from what I found in my own Macaron-baking experience, here's what stands out for me:

• I've used both almond meal with skin on and blanched Almond Meal. They both work just fine - but it's important to sift it first, no matter which one you use, but especially for the meal with the skin on. If you're left with a few bits that simply won't sift, just add it in - it won't hurt the batter.


• The temperature of your egg whites really doesn't matter. I've used them just a few minutes after taking them out of the refrigerator. Most recipes say they need to get to room temperature or set out for a day or more. Yikes!


• Unless you have a big commercial oven - don't try and bake more than one tray at a time, at least, that's been my experience.


• The good news is you can pipe the macarons and put the first tray in the oven immediately while the other(s) sit out and wait their turn. Most recipes say the piped macarons should sit out for 30-minutes or more. I have found it makes no difference.


• Great tip: trace circles onto your parchment paper using a cookie cutter (1 1/2"), and then turn paper over onto your baking sheet. You can still see the circles to use as a guide when you're piping the batter.


• Great tip: Get everything prepped before you actually start mixing it up. I get my ingredients weighed, my circles drawn, by my pastry bag ready, etc. so that once I start the process I don't have to stop in the middle to prepare an ingredient.


• Great tip: To fill your pastry bag without it all smooshing out the tip, twist the bag right above the tip and clip it closed with a binder clip. Set it in a tall glass or container. Fill the bag with the batter. When you're ready to pipe, just lift and remove the clip.


• These taste great when they are freshly made, BUT, something magically happens to the flavor and texture when you refrigerate them for a few hours or overnight, and then let them come to room temperature. Really. Amazing.

Here's the recipe from Bravetart (slightly modified)

French Macarons
Ingredients:

• 4 oz Almond Meal/Flour
• 8 oz Powdered Sugar
• 5 oz Egg Whites
• 2 1/2 oz Sugar
• 1 Vanilla Bean, scrapped, or 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Almond Extract (not in original recipe)
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and have your pastry bag with tip ready.


2. Add the almond meal and powdered sugar to your food processor and process for 15 seconds or so. Then sift, adding any bits that don't sift into the mix.
3. Combine egg whites, sugar, vanilla bean scrapings (not extract) and salt in your stand mixer bowl and using the Whip beater attachment, whip for 3 minutes at medium (about setting 4 on a Kitchenaid)


4. Increase the speed to medium-high (setting 7) for another 3 minutes.


5. Then increase the speed to 8 for another 3 minutes.


6. Turn off the mixer and add any additional flavorings or colors - this is when I add the Almond extract and/or Vanilla extract - and whip for a minute to blend. The egg whites will be *very* dry and stiff.


7. Remove the beater and bang it against the side of the bowl to remove all of the egg whites.


8. Add the almond meal/sugar mixture to the egg whites, and start folding it in (counting your folds). It will come gradually together. Once you get to about 35 - 40 folds, you'll want to pay attention to the consistency. If you pick a little up with a spoon and drop it back it, it should gradually blend into batter again, after about 20 seconds. If it's still too thick, you'll want to do one or two folds, and then test it again. You don't want it to get to the point where it 'runs' off the spoon. Rather, it should be "lava" like.


9. When you have the batter just right (!), transfer some of it to your piping bag fit with about a plain tip.


10. Start piping out the batter onto the pre-traced circles, staying just inside the edge of the circle.


11. When you've piped your first tray, rap the tray against the counter 3 times, turning it once, for good luck. OK - not really for for good luck. It's to remove any air bubbles that might be lurking within your macarons.


12. Put your first tray in the oven. While they're baking, you can pipe your second pan, bang it, and let it rest until it's time to bake. The original recipe calls for about 18 minutes of baking. I found in my oven it took about 26 minutes. Moral of this story: know your oven. How do you know when they're done? I'm still trying to figure that out. You want to be able to gently peel one off of the parchment, without pulling the whole top off (don't ask me how many times I've done that!). I think that's just something that comes with practice.
13. When the first tray is done, let them cool on the tray on a cooking rack for a while, before peeling them off.


14. Once completely cooled, put them together with your favorite filling, and then strut around the house proudly because you, my friend, made French macarons!!

These were some of my first ones made with the Trader Joes Almond Meal. No color - just the natural specs of the skin. I kinda like that look. Cute though, aren't they?


I could make these all day, experimenting with flavors and colors. If I only had the time. Now I must go make some. Right now.

Gluten-free Bakewell Tart (aka Almond Tart)

You may be asking, 'What is a Bakewell tart'? I know I was. But I just knew when I came across this recipe on cakes'n'bakes I had to try it. Immediately. So I did.



According to Wikipedia, "The Bakewell Tart, not to be confused with the Bakewell Pudding, is a shortcrust pastry with a layer of jam and a sponge filling with almonds." It may or may not have originated in Bakewell, England. Wikipedia wasn't clear about that. Do I care? Nope.

This tart is quite delicious. In particular, the crust is wonderful to handle considering it is gluten-free. I suspect I will be using the crust for many different tarts this summer (I don't even know where to begin!).



I rarely make a recipe exactly as written, but I did this time, and I wasn't disappointed. However I will try a few changes next time: I think I will prebake the crust for 5 or 10 minutes before filling it. Just to give it a bit more color. I might add a bit more almond extract to the filling for a more intense almond flavor. And finally, I will try replacing the sugar in the filling with a combination of Splenda and Erythritol. I suspect it will work.

Oh.. and I didn't have a 10" tart pan - mine is 9.5" so I ended up with extra filling and dough. What to do, what to do, what to do...??? Easy!
Got out my mini muffin tin and ta da! (three of the five left, after I devoured two :-)



Happy baking!

Gluten-free Bakewell Tart (from Bakes 'n' Cakes)
(Makes 1- 9 1/2" or 10" tart)

Ingredients:
Tart Pastry

• 1 2/3 cups Gluten-free flour (recommended 1 cup Brown Rice flour, 2/3 cup Potato Starch, 1/3 cup Tapioca Flour)
• 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 2 Tbs Sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, Cold
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 - 2 Tbs Cold Water

Almond Filling (Frangipane)

• 9 Tbs Butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 1/4 cups Almond Meal
• 2 Tbs Gluten-free Flour Mix
• 1/2 cup Jam (I used Red Raspberry)

Also, sliced almonds and powdered sugar.

Directions:
Pastry

1. Sift together the flour, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt and add to food processor.
2. Quickly cut the butter into small pieces and process with flour until blend is small and crumbly.
3. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks and almond extract. Add to flour mixture and process for a few seconds.
4. With processor running, slowly dribble in the cold water until the mixture comes together to form a ball.
5. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, remove dough and roll out on lightly floured surface (silpat mats are great for this) using a lightly floured rolling pin. Roll to about 1/4 inch thickness. The circle should be larger than the tart pan. If the dough tears while rolling, pinch it together
7. Lightly grease and flour the tart pan.
8. Gently loosen the dough from the surface (I used my longest offset spatula), fold in half, and lift it into the tart pan. Don't worry if it tears - it can easily be patched.
9. Press the dough into the pan, and cut off the excess.
10. Put the tart pan into the freezer for about 15 minutes. A good time to make the filling!

Filling

1. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. (Don't worry if the batter starts to look curdled).
3. Gradually add the almond meal and the flour. Mix well.

To assemble:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Spread an even layer of jam over the bottom of the tart.
3. Pour the almond batter over the jam layer, spreading and smoothing the top.
4. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. The top may poof up and brown some.
5. About five minutes before it's done, sprinkle with the sliced almonds and return to oven until done.

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely before removing it from the tart pan. Dust with powdered sugar, and have at it!

Gluten-free French Pancakes (aka Crepes)

Happy New Year!

I haven't had much time to post recipes this year, but I thought I could add one you might like to try on New Years morning. Hopefully I will have more time in the New Year.

This was so easy convert to gluten-free (I love when that happens). The original recipe is from Joy of Cooking and it's one that I used to make for my kids - it is one of their favorites.

It's a great breakfast recipe because it's quicker to make than regular pancakes, but just as satisfying. The bad news is you can't make them on a griddle - so you can only make one at a time (challenging if you have more than one kid:-) - or you can use two frying pans if you have them.

When I make them, they are not quite as thin as traditional crepes made using a crepe pan (which cooks on the upside-down bottom of the pan). I could probably make them thinner if I used less batter - I'll have to try that some time. But they are definitely thin enough to roll up with your favorite filling if you choose.

The original recipe says to cook them in a few drops of oil in the pan, which I did. They were fine that way, but I also tried cooking them in a tiny bit of butter instead, and I liked the way they tasted even better. No surprise there, I guess.

Gluten-free French Pancakes (adapted from Joy of Cooking)
Makes about 6 - 6"-7" Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup your favorite Gluten-free Flour Mix
• 1 tsp Baking Powder (not needed if your Gluten-free flour mix has it)
• 1-2 Tbs Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum (not sure if this is needed - I'll try it without next time)
• 2 Eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup Milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, and powdered sugar and set aside.
2. Beat the 2 eggs. Add the milk, water, and vanilla and beat.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the egg mixture. Mix together, but don't worry if there are small lumps in the batter.
4. In a small frying pan (mine is about 7", but you can use even a smaller one) heat a bit of oil or butter.
5. Add about 3 or 4 Tbs of batter, and swirl it around so it covers the bottom of the pan.
6. Cook over medium heat until the bottom is lightly browned, and carefully flip over. The second side usually cooks more quickly than the first side - so watch it carefully.
7. Enjoy with your favorite topping!

Gluten-free Waffles!

Just because sometimes I really want a Waffle! And because I can't always get to Sfoofs, my very favorite cafe for Gluten-free waffles.

So it was a "do-it-yourself" morning. Except I planned it last night. That's because this is a yeast-based waffle which is easiest and tastiest when you make batter ahead of time and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. When you think of it, it's really a great idea. Because then all you have to do in the morning is fire up the waffle iron and bake away. Easy peasy. And if you're really good, the coffee is brewed by the time your first waffle is ready.

I remember going to the World's Fair in New York when I was a kid, and having my first Belgian Waffle with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and strawberries. It became one of my favorite treats, and still is! Unfortunately, I had no whipped cream or strawberries on this morning, so maple syrup and bananas had to fill in. No complaints.

The thing that I love about these particular waffles is that they are crisp on the outside, but soft and waffley on the inside. Perfect!



Gluten-free Waffles
Makes about 6 - 7" Waffles
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Brown Rice flour
• 3/4 cup White Rice flour
• 1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
• 1/4 cup Potato Starch
• 2 tsp Yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1/4 cup Butter, melted
• 2 cups milk, warmed to about 100 - 105 degrees
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Combine the flours, yeast, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar in a bowl and whisk together to blend.
2. Combine the melted butter and warm milk, and add to the flour mixture.
3. Mix the eggs and vanilla together, and whisk into the flour mixture to blend well.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight.
5. In the morning, mix the batter for a few seconds.
6. Preheat the waffle iron, and add 1/2 - 1 cup of batter, depending on the size of the waffle iron.

While the waffle is cooking, gather up your toppings: fruit, syrup, jam, etc.



Leftovers can be frozen in a freezer bag, putting parchment or wax paper between layers of waffles. Then just thaw briefly, and put in your toaster to reheat. *Almost* as good as fresh!

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Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler with Vegan option

Does this look good enough to eat, or what?!

So many peaches... so little time! Peaches are at their prime, and I simply can't get enough of them. I've been buying the Organic Frog Hollow peaches at Whole Foods - expensive, but oh so good! They will be gone before you know it, so I'm taking full advantage of them while I can.

The good news is this cobbler can be made with just about any fruit! I have made it with blueberries, and with nectarines, and even a combination of blueberries and nectarines. As fall comes, I plan on trying it with pears, and cranberries, and who knows what else?

I adapted this recipe from this blog, reducing the sugar, and modifying a few other quantities and ingredients. I have made it both Vegan and non-Vegan, and it comes out fabulous either way. I have also made it replacing some of the sugar with Erythritol, which worked just fine. (Erythritol is a wonderful substitute sweetener, however because of it's wildly high price, I don't use it very often.)

It's a simple recipe to make - no mixer needed. Use any seasonal fruit that makes you happy, and use plenty of it. I found that many fruits cook down so much during the baking process, by the time you cut into it, you can barely see the fruit (but oh, you can most definitely taste it).

I used about 5 lbs of peaches, cut into good-sized wedges, and double layered in the baking pan. (Don't they look yummy!)



The batter then gets spread over the peaches - it doesn't have to be spread perfectly evenly, and it's OK if some of the peaches peek out. It will cover the peaches as it bakes. The crumb topping is sprinkled on top of the batter, and into the oven it goes.



45 minutes later, out of the oven it comes! Must.Wait.For.It.To.Cool.....



So there you have it. I know you're going to run out and buy some fruit and immediately make one of your own.

Gluten-free Peach Cobbler (with Vegan option)

Ingredients for 8" Square Baking Pan:

• Approximately 5 lbs of Peaches or other seasonal fruit (less will work as well. For example, 2-3 cups of Blueberries)

Batter Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Rice Flour
• 1/4 cup Tapioca Flour
• 1/2 cup Sorghum Flour
• 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/8 cup Sugar (or sugar substitute; I think this would also work with Splenda)
• 1/4 cup Butter, COLD (or butter substitute for Vegan. I used Earth Balance)
• 1/2 cup Almond Milk (or regular Milk or another Milk substitute)

Crumble Topping Ingredients:

• 1/8 - 1/4 cup Sugar (how sweet do you like it?)
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup light brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Sorghum flour
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 cup rolled Oats, Optional (Gluten-free, if necessary)
• 3 Tbs Butter, COLD, or Butter substitute

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8" by 8" baking pan (use butter, or butter substitute for Vegan).

1. In a bowl, mix the batter dry ingredients together - Rice flour, Tapioca flour, Sorghum flour, Xanthan Gum, Baking Powder, Salt, and Sugar.
2. Cut the cold butter or butter substitute into small pieces and work it into the dry ingredients with your hands until the texture becomes like damp sand - slightly moist and crumbly. Patience grasshopper. It takes a few minutes - so just keeping working it until the butter is completely incorporated and there are no big lumps of it. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the crumble topping - Sugars, Sorghum flour, & Cinnamon.
4. Once again, cut the Butter into small pieces and work into the dry ingredients.
5. If you're using peaches or other skinned fruit, carefully peel and cut into wedges (I get about 6 wedges out of a single peach) (If you're using fruit like blueberries, gently wash and pat dry).
6. Line the greased pan with 1-2 layers (or more!) of peaches.
7. Take your first bowl - the batter - and add the Almond Milk, mixing with a spoon until combined.
8. Spoon the batter over the peaches, gently spreading to cover most of the peaches
9. Take the second bowl - the Crumble mixture - and crumble it over the batter with your hands.
10. Pop the pan into the oven for approximately 45 minutes, and enjoy the aromas that fill your house

This is best and easiest to cut once it's cooled to room temperature. Serve by itself, or with a big scoop of of Vanilla frozen Yogurt. Make some tea. Invite some friends over.

When I made this yesterday, and it cooled enough to cut and serve, I almost put a message on Facebook inviting you all over to have some..... almost....

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Do you Snickerdoodle?

Almond Snickerdoodle, that is. And gluten-free. And reduced-sugar, if you like it that way. Personally, I was never much of a snickerdoodle fan (I mean really... where's the chocolate??). Until I made these. Now I can't stop eating them. It's bad.... very bad.

It took me 5 tries to get this cookie the way I wanted it. It's a balancing act with the flours and the almond meal to get it to a texture that I really like. This is a very light, soft (almost cake-like) cookie. It's hard to eat just one.

I have really enjoyed incorporating almond meal/flour into recipes. Almond meal and almond flour are not the same, although they can sometimes be used interchangeably. Almond meal usually is not as finely ground, and is usually not blanched. Almond flour is finer, and blanched, and considerably more expensive.

Which is better to use for baking? It's really personal preference. For me, when I'm baking cookies - I like to use almond meal. It seems to give cookies more substance than the finer almond flour. This Snickerdoodle is probably the lightest cookie I've ever made using almond meal. I get my almond meal at Trader Joe's ($3.99/lb bag). Almond flour, on the other hand, I like for cakes where a light, fluffy texture is preferable. You can find almond meal at Whole Foods or online, where the price starts at about $7.50 lb. and goes up from there. If you do a lot of baking, it can add up quickly!

This recipe is very easy to make, so have at it!

Gluten-free Almond Snickerdoodles
Makes about 20 - 3/4 oz cookies. This recipe can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/8 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Splenda (or use just regular sugar)
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (or Almond Extract for a more intense almond flavor)
• 1/2 cup Almond Meal
• 1/2 cup Rice Flour
• 1/2 cup Potato Starch
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
• pinch of Salt

Coating Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Splenda
• 1/2 tsp Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

1. In a very small bowl, mix together the coating ingredients. I usually mix it with a small whisk, and then put it through a strainer to make it fine. It looks nicer on the cookie that way (but you may not care how it looks, as long as it tastes good!). Set aside.
2. In another bowl, mix together the almond meal, rice flour, potato starch, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, and xanthan gum with a whisk and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and white & brown sugars together until light and fluffy. Then add the Splenda and beat to incorporate.
4. Add the egg and beat.
5. Add the vanilla extract and beat.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients (at low speed) and mix until completely blended.
7. Scoop generous tablespoons of batter onto your parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches in between (they do spread!) (or, if you're a bit obsessive like me, you can weigh each one. I make them either 3/4 oz or 1/2 oz).
8. When you have your cookie sheet full, gently roll each into a ball, and then roll the ball in the sugar-cinnamon coating.
9. When each cookie has been coated, press them down lightly with the ball of your hand to make a circle, about 1/4" high.
10. Bake for about 10 minutes.
11. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack.

Makes about 16 - 3 1/2" cookies. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled if you need more.

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Gluten-free, No-Added-Sugar Banana Apple Muffins

I'm back!!!! Yes - it's been a while since I've posted. Oh - I've been baking plenty, but it's been tricky getting pictures because the light in my house is not so good this time of year, plus I've been super busy. But I did manage to get some decent pics of these yummy muffins I recently made. Gluten-free of course, but also no added sugar. And if you leave out the Chocolate Chips, they are actually sugar-free (but why would you want to do that?? :-)

I've been dabbling a little with Agave Syrup and NuStevia - still trying to make them work in cookies, but they worked well in these muffins. I've made these muffins with and without the chips. I've also add chopped dried apricots which adds some nice flavor. I'll bet they would be good with raisins (if you like raisins - I don't). And summer fruit will be here before we know it!



These muffins have a wonderful moist texture, and also freeze well. I made them jumbo-sized and got about a dozen out of one batter (each muffin was about 4.75 oz of batter - yes, I actually weigh them when I want to be sure they are all the same size). Obviously, you can also make them standard size, but you may have to watch the baking time.

Gluten-free No Added Sugar Banana Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups Gluten-free flour blend (or your favorite GF blend)
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1 heaping tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp NuStevia
• 1/2 cup Oat Bran
• 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1 1/4 cup smashed (approx 3 - 4 bananas)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped Apple (I like Granny Smith)
• 1 Egg, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup Agave Syrup
• 3 Tbs Canola Oil
• 5 Tbs Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/3 cup non-fat Milk or Buttermilk
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• Optional: 1/2 to 3/4 cup Chocolate Chips (I used mini-chips because I wanted to use them up)
• Optional: 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped dried Apricots

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 jumbo muffin tins with paper liners.

1. In a mixer bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix together with whisk.
2. Add all wet ingredients, including banana and apple.
3. Fold in chocolate chips or dried apricots, or anything else you want to try.
4. Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full (an ice cream scoop is great for this).
5. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Remove muffins from tins to cooling rack. Allow to cool before digging in.

There are so many ways you can change up the ingredients in these muffins. It's a good base to start with and add your own 'flavor.'

Chocolate Macaroons, Naturally Gluten-Free

Nearly all macaroon recipes I've ever made have no wheat. This is one of my favorites. It's chocolaty, with a soft and chewy center, and fairly easy to make. I found it on allrecipes.com a few years ago, and have made it over and over again. If you're not a fan of coconut - no worries. There's so much chocolate in these that the coconut definitely takes a back seat in the flavor category. I used Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips - on sale this week several places so I stocked up. They are my favorite chips.

OK - so it's not the prettiest cookie on the block, but it's nothing that a light dusting of powdered sugar can't fix... which is what I plan on doing before serving these at an up coming event. For now - into the freezer they go, right next to the pretty cookies :-)

Gluten-free Chocolate Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 3 Egg Whites (room temperature best, but not required)
• Pinch of Salt
• 3/4 cup White Sugar
• 2 1/4 cups Shredded Coconut, unsweetened
• 1 1/4 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup Chopped Nuts (Almonds or Walnuts are good)
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.

1. Melt chocolate in double-boiler (aka bowl over simmering water) and let cool.
2. Using an electric hand mixer whip the egg whites until foamy. Then slowly add salt and sugar a little at a time, until the mixture stands in peaks (about 5 minutes).
3. Gently stir in the Vanilla.
4. Gently fold in the chocolate, coconut, and nuts until completely blended.
5. Scoop (about a heaping tablespoon) the dough about 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Use your fingers to shape them into a dome.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
7. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before carefully moving to cooling rack.

The cookies will be soft until completely cooled. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Note: the dough may become dry and crumbly while you're working with it. Just press it together with your hands to form the domes and they will hold together.

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Gluten-free Blueberry Peach Crumb Bars

...or buh bye to summer.

The last of the peaches (white peaches actually), mixed with blueberries and baked up in crumb bar. I found several different recipes for wheat -based fruit crumb bars online, and took a little from each, and then made it gluten-free. This is different from the Peach crisp I a few months ago, because it has a soft cookie-like base. It came out quite good.

TIP: When I have to work cold butter into flour, I like to quickly grate it into the flour using the largest grater size on a box grater. This works even better with frozen butter. You do have to work quickly if you do it this was because the butter becomes warm quickly as you're holding it. But you can also cut the butter into small pieces, and work it into the flour. Either way, it does take a few minutes to get it to a fairly fine consistency.



Pressing the dough into the baking pan. I smoothed and leveled it once it was all in there. I used parchment paper - but next time I won't. This is easier to serve up without the paper on the bottom.



Assembled. Baked. And about 55 minutes later...



I'm thinking that even though fresh peaches and blueberries are pretty much gone for the year, I'll bet this recipe would be great with apples or pears.

Peach Blueberry Crumb Bars

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups Rice Flour
• 1 cup Sorghum Flour
• 1/2 cup Potato Starch
• 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted butter, cold

Filling:

• 4 cups Peaches, sliced
• 1 cup Blueberries
• 2 Tbs lemon or orange juice, approximately
• 1/2 cup Rice Flour
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar (plus extra)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease or spray the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan.

1. Whisk together the dough dry ingredients, including the sugar.
2. Cut up or grate the butter into the flour mixture, and work in with finger for a few seconds.
3. Mix together lightly beaten egg and vanilla, and add to flour-butter mixture.
4. Work the dough with your fingers for a few minutes until the butter is complete incorporated and the mixture is fine and crumbly.
5. Press half the dough into the prepared pan, smoothing and leveling.
6. Mix the peaches, blueberries, and juice.
7. Whisk together the filling dry ingredients, and sprinkle over the fruit, mixing gently
8. Spread the fruit mix over the dough.
9. Optional: Before sprinkling the remaining dough over the fruit, add about 1/4 cup light brown sugar to the dough mixture and work it in.
10. Sprinkle the remaining dough mixture over the top of the fruit. (I didn't use it all)

Bake for about 55 - 60 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting (I know, it's hard to do that).

Now... on to some Fall baking...

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Quinoa Tabouli (aka Tabouleh) - Gluten free!

It's been too hot to bake. I'm ready for autumn clouds and rain. But I'm in the kitchen anyway - cooking up something that doesn't require me to turn on the oven :-)

Quinoa (pronounced 'keen-wah') - another of nature's super foods! It's a gluten-free grain that is high in protein and fiber, full of nutrients, and easy to digest. Where has it been all my life??? I only found out about Quinoa a few years ago. Not much flavor by itself, it can be used in so many ways by adding seasonings and veggies and meat to it. Sometimes I add Chicken, onions, and mushrooms to it with a sprinkle of feta, and it's my main course. But not today.

Today I made my favorite way to eat Quinoa. I made tabouli, replacing the Bulghur with Quinoa. Tabouli is very easy to make - and it's another of those 'to taste' dishes that you can really get creative with. It's also a great way to practice your chopping skills since most of the ingredients are finely chopped. (Think Julia Child in Julie and Julia - the onion scene. Hysterical!!).

I like a lot of tradtional Tabouli flavors - parsley, mint, green onions, lemon, among other things.



But here's the thing about Quinoa - if you buy it in bulk, or if you buy it in a bag or box, and it doesn't say it's been pre-rinsed - you MUST rinse it or soak it. Really well. Quinoa has an outer coating that is bitter, and if you don't get rid of it, your Quinoa will taste bitter. That's just the way it is.

If I have time, I will soak it in a strainer sitting in a bowl of water for about 5 or 10 minutes, replacing the water at least once. But I've also been known to just rinse it in a strainer under running water for a few minutes - and that usually works just fine. Keep in mind that Quinoa is tiny, so your strainer should have find mesh - or you'll see the Quinoa go down the drain :-). Here it is soaking.



You can cook Quinoa in Chicken broth, Vegetable broth, Water, or any combination. It cooks much like Rice (1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of liquid), but much quicker. When I'm cooking it for a cold salad type of dish - I usually put it in a bowl right after it's cooked, fluff it up a bit with a fork, and let it come to room temperature before adding my other ingredients.



Chop chop! A little olive oil and lemon juice, and there you have it. Into the refrigerator to chill.



Big softball game and potluck coming up this Sunday. This may have to be on the menu!

Quinoa Tabouli (Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quinoa, rinsed very well
• 2 cups Broth or Water
• 1 cup (approx) Fresh Mint, chopped fine
• 1 cup (approx) Fresh Parsley, chopped fine
• 3-4 Green Onions (approx), chopped
• 1 cup Cucumber (or Celery), chopped
• 1 Tomato, chopped and drained
• Juice of 1 Lemon (approx)
• 3-4 Tbs (approx) Olive Oil (see Option below)
• Salt, to taste
• Option: Instead of the Olive Oil, you can add a Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Bring liquid to a boil and immediately add the rinsed Quinoa. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Move cooked Quinoa to a bowl and let cool.
2. Once the Quinoa is cooled to near room temperature, add the chopped ingredients and toss.
3. Add Olive Oil,lemon juice, and salt, to taste. Toss well.

This is good eaten at room temperature, or chilled - which also gives the flavors time to blend nicely.

Time for lunch (Quinoa :-)

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Nearly Guilt-Free, Kinda' Healthy Chocolate Cake

Honestly - this is the closest thing to a really healthy chocolate cake I've ever had. I've made it many times, and it's one of those things that if you leave it on the kitchen counter, every time you walk by it you'll sneak a little piece.

Leave your guilt at the door, because the main ingredient is this:



Do you recognize them? They are Garbanzo beans, in all of their almost-a-chocolate-cake glory. Everytime I tell people about this flourless, gluten-free chocolate cake that is made from Garbanzo beans, they say, "Oh - you mean garbanzo bean flour?" Noooooo..... I mean Garbanzo beans. As in high protein, high fiber. Straight up. Don't ask me why it works. It just does.

This is adapted from a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com a few years ago. I've made it in a round cake pan, a springform pan, and a square (pretending they are brownies). It has a soft texture, and is great served with a little frozen yogurt. It's not dry, but can be a little crumbly, so I find it's easiest when eaten with a fork.

You start with about 19 oz of Organic Garbanzo Beans. That's 2 - 15 oz. cans, once you drain all the liquid. Sidebar: did you know that Organic Garbanzo beans are cheaper from Whole Foods than from Safeway (for you out-of-towners Safeway is a West Coast grocery chain).

Rinse and drain them well, and grind them up in a Food Processor (no mixer needed) REALLY well (i.e. don't be leaving any chunks of Garbanzo Bean in there!).



Add the sugar and baking powder, and blend. Then add the melted chocolate and vanilla.



Bake, cool.....



Sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost, cut, eat.....



Oh - and this is one of the easiest cakes I've ever made.

Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake (adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 - 15 oz. Can Garbanzo Beans (I use Organic)
• 4 Eggs (I use Range-free or Organic)
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9" round or square cake pan or springform pan, or use parchment paper.

1. Rinse and drain the Garbanzo Beans. Grind completely in a food processor with the eggs until smooth. (No Chunks!)
2. Add the sugar and baking powder to the beans and blend.
3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot (not boiling) water or, melt in the microwave in 30-second increments. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla to the mixture and blend until smooth, scraping the sides as necessary.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake approximately 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow it to cool completely before removing from the pan or cutting. Yup... chocolate cake with garbanzo beans..... all the protein and fiber with none of the bean taste. I'm telling you... it's a miracle!

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