Gluten and Casein Free, Vegan Apple Bread

Making apple bread has been on my to do list all day. However, it is after 9:00pm and I just took it out of the oven. That is a consequence of spending the afternoon absorbed in the adventures of Peter Blood, Arabella and the vicious Colonel Bishop in Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini.

The apple bread recipe is from Babycakes by Erin McKenna. Babycakes has several recipes I like including gluten free, vegan brownies and frosting. I've found that many gluten free baked goods do not taste pleasant when fresh from the oven. This recipe is an exception. It is delicious warm or cold and freezes well. Part of this batch is going in the freezer for an upcoming camping trip.

Apple - Cinnamon Toastie

Babycakes by Erin McKenna

1 cup garbanzo-fava bean flour

1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice (I use less than 1 cup)

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup arrowroot powder

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 cup melted coconut oil (We had macadamia nut oil open, so I used that.)

1/3 cup applesauce

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups hot water

1 cup roasted apples - (You may roast apples in the oven, but I've found that chunky applesauce with extra cinnamon works well. Slice the apple chunks before mixing in.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 7 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pan or four mini loaf pans.

Mix dry ingredients then add wet ingredients and fold in applesauce. Place in loaf pan and bake at 325 for 25 minutes then brush top with oil. Continue baking for 15 minutes or until crunchy and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 20 minutes. Cover the cooled uncut toasties with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 3 days.

I bake this bread much longer than called for - until the top is well browned. In Babycakes there are a few extra steps to create a swirl in the bread. I skip that to save on time and dishes and it does not change the flavor.

Kudos to my mother who cleans up all the mess I make!

Vegan Peanut Butter Cream

My favorite peanut butter is Cream-Nut Natural Peanut Butter manufactured by Koeze Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The only ingredients are Virginia peanuts and sea salt. The Chocolate Mousse post has serving ideas for this recipe.

Peanut Butter Cream
original recipe is from Vegetarian Times. I changed it to be easier to prepare.

1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 cup water depending on how thick and sweet you want it.

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Place in fridge until cream has set up. Serve with chocolate mousse or anything else good with peanut butter. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays then process 1/2 recipe with 1/2 cup coconut milk for ice cream. I skip that step because I think it tastes great frozen and then eaten as it thaws.

Gluten, Casein and Egg free Chocolate Mousse

This is one of my favorites. My brother Matt and his wife Ellie like it as well. Matt and Ellie are my allergy free taste testers. Last summer I made a frozen pie with a nut crust, this mousse and peanut butter cream. It works well to put mousse in the bottom of a feezer container then top it with peanut butter cream and freeze. It makes a nice snack for a day away from home.

Chocolate Mousse recipe from Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People by Jennifer Cornbleet

1/2 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I use agave nectar sometimes)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

1 1/2 cups mashed avocados

3/4 cocoa powder

1/2 cup water

~Place dates, maple syrup and vanilla in a food processor fitted with the s blade and process until smooth. Add avocado and cocoa powder and process until creamy. Stop occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add water and process briefly. Store in fridge for up to three days or two weeks in the freezer.

Chinese Restaurant-Style Sauteed Green Beans

Original recipe from Fine Cooking magazine - what follows includes my modifications


1TB Braggs Amino Acids soy sauce


1TB agave nectar or honey


olive oil (coconut oil is better if you are not allergic to it)


12oz green beans, trimmed


1 summer squash, sliced


Sea salt


1 TB minced garlic, optional

~Combine agave nectar, soy sauce and 1TB water and set by stove.
~In a saute pan heat olive oil then add the green beans and 1/2 ts sea salt. Cook, turning the beans occasionally, until most are well browned ( I left mine more green).
~Turn heat to low and add garlic if using. After a few seconds add the soy mixture and cook, stirring until liquid reduces to a glaze, 30 to 45 seconds.

Serve with gluten free pasta

Evening in July

Chase gives me kisses.

Sophie belongs to my friend Robin and is staying with us for a few days.

Taffy likes to frolick in the field. She usually poses for the camera. She knows she is beautiful.

Karamel didn't want her picture taken, so she ran in her house and tried to hide.

Here is Koko sitting on her patio. She is a timid bunny and often puts her head down.

Pleasing to the Summer Palate

This evening my mom and I had turkey wraps with avocado, homemade refrigerator pickles and homemade egg- free mayo. Delicious! The picture shows my mom's plate with the addition of tomatoes. I have been craving pickles, but need them to be made without garlic and mustard. These pickles hit the spot and I was delighted to eat them. The wraps are rice wraps from Food for Life. I keep them in the freezer then place them on the griddle for a few minutes till warm and pliable.

Rosemary and Sage Pickles

Original recipe is from The Herb Companion

~These are quick and easy to make~

1 red or white onion, sliced thinly

2 cups cucumber, sliced

herbes de Provence to taste

4 to 8 sage leaves

2 whole cloves

Whole black peppercorns

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1TB sea salt

1 cup cold water

~Tightly pack cucumbers in two 16 ounce jars until 3/4 full. Layer with onions and herbs. Add 1 whole clove and a few black peppercorns to each jar.

~Combine vinegar and salt in saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir til salt dissolves. Remove from heat.

~Add cold water to vinegar mixture and let cool. Then pour in jar to cover cucumbers. Add more cold water if necessary. Leave room at the top. Refrigerate.

Egg-Free Mayo Recipe

From karinaskitchen.blogspot.com

1 heaping TB chilled raw tahini

2-3 TB apple cider vinegar

3-6 TB plain rice or hemp milk

1-2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar, to taste

1/4 to 1/2 ts sea salt

1/4 ts paprika

1/4 ts xanthan gum

1/2 cup EVOO

~Start with the lesser amounts and add a little more as you go to adjust thickness or taste

~Place all ingredients except the EVOO and whisk to combine.

~While whisking start pouring EVOO into the bowl in a thin steady stream. After all the oil is added, do a taste test to see if you need more salt, sweetness or acid. Continue to whisk until mixture is creamy and starts to thicken.

You want it to emulsify and thicken, but if you beat it too long it can fall apart. When in doubt, stop beating and check it. It will not be as thick as commercial mayo. Chilling thickens it, so make ahead.

ENJOY!