Gluten Free Allergy Friendly Sweet and Sour Chicken

I was looking through the refrigerator to see what I had for dinner, that would not involve me going to the store. I had some chicken thawing out, some sprouts that were ready and a pineapple that needed to be used. It was smelling mighty sweet. I immediately thought sweet and sour chicken...hmmmm.

Ingredients

pineapple, juice reserved or 80z can pineapple chunks reserved juice

1 1/2 cups water 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice (I have vinegar issues also) 6 drops food orange food coloring

Combine the above in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

Mix together 1/4 cup potato starch and 1/4 cup water

Add to the sauce pan and stir until the sauce thickens.

1 1/2 cup rice flour 1 cup potato starch (or arrowroot or tapioca starch)

1 1/2 t. baking powder 1 1/2 t. salt

2 T. canola oil 1 t. pepper and 1 t. garlic

1 egg 1 1/4 -2 cups water

Mix together to make a thick flour batter.

Add 8 skinless, boneless chicken cut in bite size pieces to the flour mixture. Stir to coat.

Heat a skillet and add about 1/4 of appropriate oil. Fry chicken until golden brown. Drain it on a paper towel.

Toss the pineapples in a separate skillet to warm (or microwave).
Saute the sprouts with salt, pepper and garlic and a touch of olive oil.

Scoop some rice on a plate. I prefer jasmine rice. Layer your sprouts, pineapple and chicken. Top with sauce and enjoy.
Of course broccoli would be the traditional accompaniment, but I was too lazy to leave the house.

Gluten Free Spinach and Chicken Pizza Recipe

I love pizza. Everything about it. Pizza in all it's many forms was one of the things I missed the most. Not so much anymore. This past weekend Mom wanted white pizza with spinach and chicken and above is the result. Not bad. In fact, it was pretty darn good. Yeah Pizza!

Ingredients
1 T. Yeast

1 1/3 cup rice milk (warm)

1 t. sugar

Combine and allow yeast to bubble

2 1/3 cup flour mix

http://meatandveggiegirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/gluten-free-flour-mix-things-i-think.html
or

1 1/3 cup rice flour and 1 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot starch

2 t xanthan gum
1 t salt

1 t. italian seasoning

1 t. garlic powder

Mix dry ingredients

2 t. olive oil

2 t. lemon juice

Add to yeast mixture. Combine yeast mixture with flour mixture. Stir well or mix in stand mixer.

Grease pizza sheet and pat out dough. I put rice flour on the counter and on my fingers and then push it into the shape below.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Brush with olive oil so your crust is not soggy.

Top and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly.

Toppings

Olive oil

Minced garlic

Wilted spinach

Chicken breast (cooked and cubed)

Rice (or other appropriate) cheese

Slice and enjoy!

Gluten Free Sourdough Buckwheat Pancakes

I was thrilled when I tried this recipe for the first time. These pancakes are eaten by everyone in our family, those with and without food restrictions. They are fluffy and delicious.

• This recipe makes about 60 pancakes that are made with 1/4 cup of batter. I often make a full batch and freeze individual portions to eat later.
• I have also cut this recipe in half and used only one egg
• This recipe will also work with egg replacer, I use Ener-G
  
  Ingredients

1 cup sourdough starter

http://meatandveggiegirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/gluten-free-corn-free-soy-free.html

1 1/2 - 2 cup warm water about 85 degrees

1 cup buckwheat plus 1 1/2 cup flour mix

I alter this depending on my mood and how wheat-y I want the pancakes to be. Also dependent on how much flour mix I have on hand.
Mix ingredients in a glass or plastic container and stir with a non-metal spoon. Cover and place in a dark corner.

The photo above is right after I mixed the batter. The photo below is after the starter is allowed to rise and the final ingredients are added. My starter takes about 3 hours to rise but can rest for up to 12 hours. I usually let the starter set overnight and mix the remaining ingredients in the morning.
This was only 1/2 of the recipe. It truly makes a ton.

Remaining Ingredients: Add after the starter is allowed to rise

3 eggs

1/4 cup sugar (can omit)

1/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil or whatever butter/shortening you can use

1tsp. baking soda

1 T vanilla

1 tsp. salt

Preheat your cast iron skillet. Oil it and pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake.

Woo Hoo. Watch them bubble. After cooking I top with coconut oil (no butter for me), fruit and/or homemade syrup. (I cannot make myself buy 100% maple syrup-it's just too expensive). Agave nectar is also yummy.

Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free Flour Mix

Things I think may be true....but I'm no expert

• I keep a mix made up and in the refrigerator for faster baking
• Non-wheat flours and starches have a different absorbency than traditional flours. I like to play with different combinations. I have had success mixing as long as your flour to starch ratio is the same as the mix or recipe you are changing.
• I assume (though I know it is wrong) that soy and or corn flours perform in a fashion more similar to wheat but alas I am allergic so I do not know.
• Carol Fenster has books with excellent info for the allergy newbie
• These sites have been super helpful to me http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/ http://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/

Flour Blend 1

1. 3 cups rice flour
2. 3 cups tapioca flour (or arrowroot starch)
3. 2 cups sorghum flour
4. 1 cup millet

Flour Blend 2

1. 1 1/2 cup sorghum flour
2. 1 1/2 rice flour
3. 1 1/2 potato starch
4. 1 1/2 arrowroot starch
5. 1 cup tapioca flour
6. 1 cup millet
7. 1 cup teff

• I have also substituted amaranth, sweet rice flour, quinoa flour with excellent results

Gluten Free Sourdough Bread

Now that you have the starter....it's time to bake

1. 3/4 cup sourdough starter
http://meatandveggiegirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/gluten-free-corn-free-soy-free.html


2. 3 eggs (can substitute egg replacer or chia)



3. 3/4 cup H20 (room temp)



4. 1/4 cup sugar



5. 1/4 cup canola oil



6. 1 t lemon juice

• Mix the above.
  
• In a separate bowl blend together
  

1. 3 cup gluten free flour mix
2. http://meatandveggiegirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/gluten-free-flour-mix-things-i-think.html)



3. 1/2 cup Vance's Dari-Free (or any dry milk powder, Vance's is potato based or ground nuts)



4. 1 1/2 t. salt



5. 2 t. xanthan gum
   

• Gradually add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet. I take about 4-6 minutes in my stand mixer.



• Place in a greased loaf pan. Regular size



• Cover and place in a warm place. Usually I place the oven on warm while I am mixing the bread and then turn it off. If I am using the oven the bread will rise nicely in the cabinet above the stove.



• Let the bread rise for 6-12 hours.



• My starter takes about 6 hours for a small loaf, up to overnight for larger loaves.



• I have also increased the flour and starter and split the dough into two smaller loaf pans.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 10-20 minutes.

• Internal temperature should be between 195-210 degrees.




• You may need to cover bread if you prefer your crust lighter

Gluten free, corn free, soy free sourdough starter

This is the starter before it is mixed. You can pour off the liquid (hooch) or mix it in. I decide based on how thick or thin the starter is.

After I accepted my new food status I began to bake and quickly discovered an aching for sourdough products. It was a difficult hunt searching for a gluten, soy and corn free sourdough starter but I have had some bread, pizza crust and pancake success.

How to make sourdough starter

• Materials
  

Glass container (no metal)

wooden spoon (no metal)

distilled or spring water (or some tap water which has sat out overnight)

raisins or grapes

rice, millet and sorghum flours

• Day 1
  

1 cup of rice flour

1 cup of spring water

10 raisins

Pour into glass container. Stir with wooden spoon. Top with raisins. Cover with a towel and sit in a warm, dark corner.

• Day 2
  

Remove raisins after about 12 hours.

1 cup of millet flour

1 cup spring water

Stir, cover and return to dark corner.

• Day 3
  

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup spring water

Stir, cover and return to dark corner

• Day 4
  

1 cup rice flour

3/4 cup spring water

Stir, cover and return to dark corner

• Day 5
  

1 cup rice flour

3/4 cup spring water

Stir, cover and return to dark corner

This is my starter right after I have fed and stirred it. It immediately begins to bubble.

• Your starter is finished when it rises and bubbles after it is fed (you add flour and water). Mine takes between 3 to 6 hours to double in size.
  


• If it begins to smell a bit 'sour' after the first few days, that is OK. It is a wild sourdough yeast!



• It may take more than five days to create the starter, just keep feeding.



• I added and removed the raisins to attract wild yeasts....I do not think you have to do this step.



• If you run out of room in your glass container, just pour some of the old starter out before you feed it some more.



• I lowered the amount of liquid because I thought my starter was too runny...adjust as you see fit. It should be the consistency of thick pancake batter.



• Once your sourdough is active take the following steps...
  

1. If you are baking often, leave your sourdough out on the counter. Feed every two days. You will also need to feed your starter to keep enough on hand to cook with.



2. You may also store your starter in the refrigerator and feed once every 10-14 days. I remove it from the cold, let it come to room temperature, feed it, let it rise and then put it back in the refrigerator. I give in between 18-24 hours after it has been fed before I return in to the refrigerator. Make sure the lid is tightly sealed (unless it is still bubbling, then wait until your starter has settled)
   

HAPPY BAKING!

Pizza crust, sourdough buckwheat pancakes, sourdough bread and cinnamon raisin sourdough bread recipes to follow.