Category Archives: Breads / Crackers / Muffins

May 10, 2016 · 2:23 pm

CRAZY PROTEIN BREAD

Crazy Protein Bread

I posted a picture of this extremely macro-friendly protein bread the other day on my Instagram account and there was a lot of interest in the recipe.

I based the recipe very closely on iheartmacro’s recipe for protein bread, however I am personally not a fan of cooking with protein powder and I am back off dairy, so I could not use Greek yogurt.

I am also a big fan of Crazy Richard’s Pure PB powder and added that to the recipe because PB makes EVERYTHING better!

This bread is awesome for those who struggle to get in all of their protein for the day and is VERY filling thanks to the coconut flour.

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cup liquid egg whites (I prefer organic)
  • 2/3 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
  • 2 farm fresh eggs
  • OPTIONAL – stevia to taste
    • Use if you want sweet bread
    • Omit if you want more neutral tasting bread

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/3 cup Pure PB powder (replace with almond flour to make it Paleo)
  • 1 tsp baking powder

METHOD

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl until fully incorporated
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until very smooth
  5. Pour the batter into a greased cake pan
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean in the center of the cake
  7. Cool and slice into 8 slices
  8. Store in the fridge (I place the bread in a tupperware along with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture).

MACROS PER SLICE – 5C/9.5P/2.9F

 

*Use code “FITQUESTMOM for 10% off Crazy Richards Products.  Shop HERE.

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October 14, 2015 · 6:04 pm

My Favorite Gluten-Free Lower Carb Waffle Recipe

Balanced Grettie Lower Carb Gluten Free Waffle with Syrup BITE

This is my go-to waffle recipe.  It has taken me a while to perfect, but I know it’s good when the rest of my family actually likes them and tries to steal bites when I make one for myself.  Let’s face it, I like a lot of foods that the general public probably wouldn’t be into…this is a recipe the general public will be into.

I like this recipe as either a HUGE Belgian waffle or pancakes.  The only difference between making these into waffles or pancakes will be the batter consistency (aka how much water you add).  Waffle batter tends to be thicker and pancake batter thinner (it is basically personal preference).

I like to eat the whole recipe myself, but you can easily split it in half or eat as much as your macros allow.  I also like to top my waffle with strawberries, but again that is personal preference.

If you don’t want to use syrup you can add a little stevia to the batter.

Balanced Grettie Lower Carb Waffle Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

40 grams Krusteaz gluten -free buttermilk pancake mix

1 Tbs coconut flour (pack it into the Tbs vs. the scoop and scrape method)

2 Tbs Fufu (Plantain Flour)

6 Tbs organic egg whites

Water (amount varies)

METHOD

Preheat your waffle maker or a pan on medium heat if making pancakes.

Place the pancake mix, coconut flour, and fufu flour into a mixing bowl.  Add the egg whites and a little water to start (2-3Tbs).  Mix.

The coconut flour will absorb a lot of water, so add water a little at a time until it reaches the right consistency.  It seems like the amount of water I use is different every time, so play around with it.  You can also add some more egg whites if you have more protein macros to use-up.  I have used as little as 4Tbs and as much as 8Tbs with great results.

Spray coconut oil onto the waffle maker or pan.

Cook as you would any regular waffle or pancake.

Here is the macro breakdown for the recipe as written:

Balanced Grettie Lower Carb Waffle Macros IIFYM

 

Balanced Grettie Lower Carb Gluten Free Waffle with Syrup

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September 24, 2013 · 2:58 am

Elana’s Pantry Banana Bread – Gluten-Free & Paleo

Image Courstey of Elana’s Pantry

This morning my son looked across the counter and saw our overripe bananas which prompted, “Mom I REALLY have a craving for banana bread!  I LOVE your banana bread recipe!!!”  Do you think he was not so subtly hinting???

I decided to go another route today and try Elana Amsterdam’s (of Elana’s Pantry) Paleo Banana Bread Recipe.  The only alteration I made to the recipe was to use coconut oil in lieu of vegetable shortening.  I also tented the bread with foil for the last 15-20 minutes or so since it was already a nice golden brown and I didn’t want it to burn.

My kids went gaga for this and both had three slices after school.  I had to stop them so that there would be at least a slice each for my husband and I to try.

Click HERE for the recipe and while you are at it surf around Elana’s site…it is chalk-full of wonderful recipes.

…

On another note…There was definitely lively debate and commenting after my last post.  I approved ALL of the comments and allowed the conversation to continue right up until today.  The discussion has been had, viewpoints have been shared, and it is now time for all of us to move on.  I choose to focus on the positive in life and as of now I will no longer be approving any negative comments…let’s keep it happy.  

Veggie Grettie is my little corner of the world where I share recipes I have created, those of others I admire, health information, and a smidgen of my personal life from time to time.  I would like to continue doing so and want to thank those of you who sent your good vibes my way.  Much love!!!

Peace and health,

Gretchen

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February 22, 2013 · 9:09 pm

THE BEST DARN CORNBREAD MUFFINS – GFree, Refined Sugar-Free, Fat-Free

Best Darn Cornbread Muffins (18) CROPPED

I really like cornbread.  There is just something about ending a cold day with a bowl of hot stew, chili, or soup and a side of cornbread.

When I was really young that meant opening a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix and as I got older my family transitioned to Marie Callender’s cornbread mix.  Let’s just say that Marie set the bar pretty stinkin’ high…that stuff is gooood!!!

When we found out that my daughter needed to go gluten-free I began purchasing pre-packaged gluten-free cornbread mixes and I have to say that I have just been tolerating them.  In my opinion I have yet to come across one that is good.  The mixes I have purchased through the years tend to be bland and DRY.

I finally decided to tackle the gluten-free cornbread monster and came-up with a recipe that I am really happy with.  The muffins taste like corn and honey and they are nice and moist.  To top it off there is no refined sugar and these moist muffins have NO OIL!!!

Problem solved.

THE BEST DARN CORNBREAD MUFFINS

Best Darn Vegan Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffin COLLAGE 2

INGREDIENTS – Makes 12 muffins

DRY
1 cup finely ground cornmeal
3/4 cup gluten-free flour mix (I used King Arthur)
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
 
WET
1 cup applesauce
1 cup creamed corn (8.5 oz. can…make sure it is dairy-free)
8.75 oz. can whole kernel corn (no salt added), drained (chop finely if desired)
2-4 Tbs honey (I prefer 2 Tbs) (to make vegan, use maple syrup or agave)
 .

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (I used convection bake).

Combine the cornmeal, flours, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl combine the applesauce, creamed corn and honey.  Whisk together until fully incorporated.

Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon until fully mixed.

Chop up the whole kernel corn until it is the size you prefer for your muffins.  Fold the corn kernels into the batter.

Line your muffin tins (grease lightly with coconut oil spray) and fill each muffin 2/3 full with batter.

Bake for 14-18 minutes (rotating half-way through) until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely. *

These muffins taste great straight out of the refrigerator.

.Best Darn Cornbread Muffins (26)

*Remember that homemade gluten-free baked goods taste best once they have cooled completely.  Straight out of the oven they tend to be gummy.

For a printable recipe click HERE.

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April 9, 2012 · 4:00 pm

SRC – CHEWY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CAKES (Vegan & Gluten Free)

It is time for April’s Secret Recipe Club post.  This month I was assigned Cupcake Muffin and really enjoyed perusing  Sara’s site.  While Sara and I don’t follow the same nutrition criteria, there were a lot of recipes that I was interested in trying.  She is crazy for curry and the curry recipes she posted looked really good!

I ultimately set my sites on veganizing, healthifying (massive fat reduction), and gluten-freeing her Chewy Chocolate Chunk Brownie recipe which she adapted from Pixelated Crumb.  I highlighted all of the changes that I made to the recipe in RED (see below).  

The brownies that resulted from these recipe changes were really very very good, but I do feel the need to call them brownie “cakes” because the texture more closely resembles that of cake than brownies.  That being said, we couldn’t get enough of these.  I personally think they tasted better the second day.  When eaten straight out of the oven, you can taste the prunes slightly (which I didn’t mind at all), however once they cooled completely the prunes disappeared entirely.

I decided to use my mini crumb cake pan because when I make brownies I like to have nice finished edges on all sides (I’m weird like that).  I also like that using the mini crumb cake pan makes the brownies single serve…though I would have to say that these brownies were HUGE and filling.  Next time I will only put half of the batter in and make two batches vs. one.  If you do this, please adjust the baking time accordingly as they will bake much faster.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs boiling hot coffee
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped (I used Sweetriot Brand 85% dark chocolate)
4 Tbs unsalted butter, melted (I used babyfood prunes)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs vegetable oil (I used applesauce)
2 lrg eggs + 2 lrg yolks (I used 3 Energ egg replacer “eggs”)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups sugar (I used 1 cup maple syrup)
1 ¾ cups unbleached flour (I used 1 ½ cups King Arthur GFree flour AND 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour)
3/4 tsp table salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
6 ounces bittersweet / semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)
***

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a mini crumb cake pan with oil.

Whisk together the cocoa and boiling hot coffee.  Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until melted.  Whisk in the prunes and applesauce.  Add the egg replacer eggs, vanilla, and maple syrup and whisk until smooth.

In a separate bowl whisk together the gluten-free flour, blanched almond flour, salt, and xanthan gum.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well (but don’t over mix).  Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes (if you use half the batter and make two batches, cook for 10-15 minutes and then check with a toothpick to make sure they are done).  Allow the brownie cakes to cool for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

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April 6, 2012 · 1:30 pm

FAMILY RECIPE MAKE-OVER – Auntie Ann’s Banana Cake

I am so excited to begin this series.  As I stated in my Family Recipe Make-Over kick-off post, I have so much fun veganizing, healthifying, and gluten-freeing “conventional” recipes.  The first recipe in the series was sent in by Veggie Grettie reader (and dear family friend) Ann.   This is what she had to say…

…

Hi Gretchen,
 
I’ve been baking this cake for over 40 years…..for birthday parties, holidays, barbecues, and potlucks.  I still have friends and family asking me to make it, sometimes remembering it from events years ago.   It’s a moist cake with a nice nutty/banana flavor.  I’d love to be able to make it for all of my guests and would love to have the recipe “veganized”.
 
Thanks a bunch!
Ann H.

…

I have to say that the results from updating the recipe below were amazing…so much so that my husband asked me to remove the cake from the premises (no joke).  When I explained to him that this cake is really not that bad for you, he responded with, “It is if I eat the ENTIRE thing.  I am afraid I won’t be able to stop.”

The cake turned out moist and springy which is a big achievement for a gluten-free cake without eggs.  My son couldn’t stop raving about how good the glaze was.  The original recipe used a cream cheese frosting and I opted to make a cream cheese glaze in order to cut back on the sugar.  Since glazes go so well on Bundt cakes, I switched things up by making this a Banana Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze.

To appease my husband I cut two more servings of the cake as after school snacks for my kids and then my daughter’s school became the recipient of the banana cake left-overs… much to my kid’s dismay (another opportunity to discuss the importance of sharing!).

CAKE INGREDIENTS

WET
1 ¼ cup very well mashed banana (about 3 medium)
1 cup maple syrup
1 Energ egg replacer egg
2/3 vegan buttermilk (instructions below)
–          Slightly less than 2/3 cup soymilk
–          ¾ Tbs white vinegar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
 
DRY
2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour
1 cup blanched almond flour
1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
3 tsp baking soda
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
 
2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
 
GLAZE INGREDIENTS
 
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup vegan cream cheese, melted
1 Tbs lemon juice
…

Preheat the convection oven to 350 degrees.

Make the vegan buttermilk by pouring ¾ Tbs distilled white vinegar into a 2/3 cup measuring cup.  Pour soymilk over the vinegar to fill the 2/3 cup measuring cup.  Allow this mixture to cure for at least 10 minutes.

Add all of the “dry” ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to fully incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine all of the wet ingredients and whisk to fully incorporate.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients.  Do not overmix.

Fold in the finely chopped walnuts.

Lightly grease your Bundt pan and pour in the batter.

Bake for 35-45 minutes (mine took 40 minutes), turning half way through.

Allow the pan to cool for 5 minutes and then invert the Bundt cake onto a cooling rack.  Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Sift the powdered sugar (to remove lumps) and whisk in the melted vegan cream cheese and lemon juice.  Drizzle the glaze over the banana cake and serve.

…

For a printable version of this recipe click HERE.

To view Ann’s original recipe click HERE.

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October 20, 2011 · 7:24 pm

SO DELICIOUS COCONUT MILK – Holiday Flavors and Giveaway

The holidays came early to my house.  I received my first present of the season when FedEx dropped off So Delicious’s Seasonal Coconut Milk Beverages to my doorstep this morning.  So Delicious contacted me to tell me that the milks would arrive this morning and I seriously think the FedEx man must have thought I was coo coo because I was literally waiting at the door when he arrived.

OH MY GOSH they are good!  Then Nog is so flavorful and pours thick like a “real” nog does, but without the guilt and oodles of fat that accompany the dairy version.  When I was about 5 years old I consumed a half gallon of egg nog on my own and as you can imagine, I have avoided the dairy version like the plague since (I am shocked I did not have a heart attack right then and there!).  So Delicious has come to the rescue and provided me with an option that I like and does not conjure-up bad memories for me.  Yay!

As you can imagine, the Mint Chocolate is out of this world.  I think I will need to pour some into an opaque container so I can save some for myself since I know the kids are going to absolutely decimate it when they get home from school.  I so want to cook and bake with these milks!  I am thinking the kids will love the recipe for the Vegan Nog French Toast (breakfast tomorrow!).  I love that they included recipes on the carton.

The beverages will retail for around $2.99, which I consider to be very reasonable.  I know my fridge will be stocked with them.  Click here for nutrition information.  Click here for a store locator.

GIVEAWAY

So Delicious has generously provided the readers of Veggie Grettie with a nice giveaway… TWO coupons for a “FREE So Delicious Dairy Free item.” 

To Enter:

1.  LIKE the So Delicious Dairy Free Facebook Fan page (http://facebook.com/SoDeliciousDairyFree)

AND / OR

2.  FOLLOW them on Twitter (http://twitter.com/so_delicious)

3.  Come back to this post and leave me a comment letting me know you have LIKED their page and let me know which flavor you are most excited to try.

Nice and simple.

I will announce the two winners (each will receive 1 coupon) on Thursday of next week 10/27/11.

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September 12, 2011 · 1:30 pm

CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES – Raw, Vegan, and Gluten-Free

I subscribe to Raw Chef Judita’s Newsletter and at the end of her September Newsletter she included a recipe for Chocolate Chip Scones.   This recipe appealed to me because of it’s simplicity and let’s face it…because of the promise of ooey gooey chocolate in the morning.

I started soaking the oats in the morning and made the batter after dinner.  Once the scones were shaped they went into the dehydrator and were ready for us to eat when we woke-up.  We were all impressed by these scones.  Oftentimes “simple” rules!!!

Chef Judita also has some wonderful cooking classes on YouTube.  To check them out click here.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES
Makes 8 servings

Soak time: 8-12 hours
Prep time: 10 minutes
Drying time: 7-8 hours (I did 12 hours & they were great!)

Equipment: Food processor and dehydrator

When these little delights come straight out of the dehydrator they taste just like fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Absolute heaven. Hint: put them in the dehydrator before you go to bed so you have warm scones in the morning!

2 cups soaked oat groats (1 1/4 cups dry) , soaked 8-12 hours or overnight
3/4 cup soft medjool dates
1/2 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips*
pinch of salt (optional)

*chop a raw chocolate bar into small chips (Fine & Raw is a good one) or use store bought organic chocolate chips. My favorite is Sunspire brand.

Place well drained oats into the food processor and process until oats break down and begin to stick. Scrape down sides with a spatula if needed.

Add dates, coconut and salt and process until mixture balls up into a dough.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and add in chocolate chips by hand. I suggest wearing disposable gloves for this so the chocolate chips don’t melt.

Place mixture in the center of a non stick surface and press dough into a  3/4” to 1” high round shape. A rolling pin is helpful for this.

Cut round into 8 wedges and separate pieces on a mesh dehydrator tray.

Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 7-8 hours. If you like a moist scone remove after 7 hours. If you like it chewier keep them in for 8 or more hours.

Delicious served warmed.

Will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

Images courtesy of http://rawjudita.virb.com/

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May 24, 2011 · 1:30 pm

GLUTEN FREE BREADCRUMBS – Homemade

Homemade is almost always better and in the case of gluten-free breadcrumbs, homemade is LIGHT YEARS above any store-bought breadcrumbs I have ever tried.  Breadcrumbs are a cinch to make too.  My go-to gluten-free bread is Udi’s Whole Grain Bread Loaf (for a $1 coupon click here).  I use this bread for my daughter’s lunches and it make great breadcrumbs. 

To make the breadcrumbs, toast 9 slices of bread until they are very crunchy, but not burnt.

Once cooled, crumble the toast into your food processor (I use my Cuisinart 11-cup processor).  Process until the consistency below.

If you plan on flavoring your breadcrumbs, add the flavoring now.  Oftentimes I will make Italian Breadcrumbs.  To do so, add 2 tsp Italian Seasoning (I used Morton & Bassett) and 1 tsp Himalayan or Celtic Salt.

Process until well incorporated and the appropriate texture.  If you are NOT flavoring the breadcrumbs, simply process until the appropriate texture.

Pour the breadcrumbs onto a tray and bake for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees to crisp.  Watch them VERY carefully so they do not burn.

Allow the breadcrumbs to cool and store them in an airtight container.  I usually make them right before using them, so I have yet to discover how long they will last in the pantry!

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March 21, 2011 · 2:16 pm

MUSHROOM ROSEMARY DINNER PANCAKES

I was inspired to make these dinner pancakes while reading through Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian.  Using chickpea / garbanzo bean flour as a base for the pancake is a great way to incorporate more protein into a meal.  These pancakes were light, yet satisfying.  I served my pancakes with lightly dressed steamed kale (click here to see my latest kale post)

INGREDIENTS

PANCAKE
1 cup garbanzo bean flour
½ tsp Himalayan salt
1 cup water (or liquid from the reconstituted mushrooms)
3 Tbs. olive oil
.
TOPPING
2 heads roasted garlic
½ cup dried mushroom mix, chopped once reconstituted
½ large onion, sliced into moons and caramelized
1-2 tsp oil
½ tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
½ tsp. Himalayan salt
pepper to taste

 ~

Set the oven to broil.

Pour hot water over the mushrooms to reconstitute.  I bought my mix at Costco (by a company called Shiitake-Ya).

Place the garbanzo bean flour and salt ina a mixing bowl.  Use a whisk and incorporate well.  Combine well with the water (or 1 cup of cooled liquid from the reconstituted mushrooms) and olive oil.  Once mixed well, set aside for 30 minutes.

Place the onion and 2 tsp. of oil in a sauté pan and caramelize.

Mix together the roasted garlic, chopped mushrooms, salt, pepper, and ½ tsp chopped fresh rosemary.

Pour 1/3 cup of pancake batter into a lightly greased pan (spread out the batter).  While the pancake begins to cook, top it with some of the topping mixture.  Once the pancake has browned, set it aside until all of the pancakes are browned and ready to go into the oven.

Once all of the pancakes have been browned, place them directly on the oven rack (not on a cookie sheet) under the broiler for 8-10 minutes (you may need to rotate them after 4-5 minutes).  Broiling the pancakes will make sure that the batter on the top cooks through.

Serve with a nice salad or some steamed veggies on the side.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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