Gluten-free Cheez-itz

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There are recipes that convert well into gluten free and this happens to be one of them and they freeze incredibly well too, but be warned, it will be unlikely that you’ll have leftovers to freeze! I rolled this recipe thinner than the glutinated recipe and the result was a crispier, cheese bite. I’ll probably do the same for the glutinated version, as I preferred the crisp texture. Plus, a thinner roll gives you more crackers and who doesn’t love more cheese crackers?

A KitchenInspirations Original Recipe

Ingredients:

• 227 g (about 2 cups) sharp cheddar, grated
• 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 14 g (1 tbsp) vegetable shortening
• 1 tsp salt
• 67 g (1/2 cup) brown rice flour and 67 g (1/2 cup)  white corn flour (not corn starch) or 134 g (1 cup) gluten-free flour
• 30 mL (2 tbsp) ice water

Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the ice water in a bowl of a food processor. Pulse for 2 minutes to cream the mixture together.
2. Slowly add the ice-water while pulsing. At first, it looks like you might need more water, patience grasshopper, patience, the dough will come together in a moment, continue pulsing until it does.
3. Preheat oven to 375° F.
4. Using plastic wrap, roll the dough into two logs about 1.5 inches or 4 cm in diameter. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15.
5. Cut log into 1/2 cm or 1/4 inch thick slices and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet leaving about 2.5 cm or 1 inch between each cracker.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy! Be careful – there’s a fine line with these between golden brown and overdone – and it only takes seconds to burn!

Alternative instructions:

1. Cut dough in half and pat the dough down into a disk, cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Place disk on parchment paper and put the plastic wrap on top and roll each disc to 2mm or 1/8 inch thickness (this is the perfect thickness).
3. Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut into shapes. I found that my 2.5cm square cut the perfect size.
4. Transfer to a baking sheet (I line mine with parchment).
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy! Be careful – there’s a fine line with these between golden brown and over done – and it only takes seconds to burn!
6. Remove to cooling rack to cool.

Notes:

• If the crackers become a bit soggy after you defrost them, toss them in the oven in a single layer on a baking sheet on low heat for 5-10 minutes to crisp them up.

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Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili

We had a bunch of dear friends for Superbowl a few weeks ago and I made this vegetarian chili. I know I’m a little late, but I wanted to capture the recipe for next year. It was delicious and it makes a huge amount (1 L or 8 cups). It has a lot of great flavours and textures, I’ll definitely add it to my repertoire for future Superbowl parties.

A KitchenInspirations Original Recipe

Makes 1 L (8 cups)

Ingredients:

• 180 g (1 cup) dried red kidney beans (soaked for 12 hours)
• 1 small onion, diced (100 g)
• 1 small carrot, diced (100 g)
• 1/2 butternut squash, diced (150 g)
• 2 celery ribs, diced (100 g)
• 250 mL puréed tomatoes (200 g)
• vegetable stock or water, to cover
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp red pepper paste
• 2 tsp ground cumin, toasted
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup Pearl Barley, cooked
• 1 avocado, for garnish
• 1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
• chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Put the beans in a pot, cover with 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Boil for ten minutes. Drain.
2. Combine beans with everything but the frozen corn, cooked barley and the garnishes in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add enough water to cover. Cook for 8 hours on low or until beans are tender. Add frozen corn and cooked barley about 30 minutes before serving to allow to heat through.
3. Serve with garnishes or plain.

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Banana Cream Pie

We’ve been doing enormously well on our path to better health so when we had friends over for dinner recently I asked JT what dessert he wanted and he said banana cream pie! Banana cream pie is definitely NOT diet food, but you need a treat every once in a while.

There are many recipes out there and JT was specific that he didn’t want chunks of banana so I had to improvise by adding puréed bananas and increasing the thickening agent to make up for the added liquid ratio. I used Martha’s recipe as a starting point. This pie is not overly sweet and it packs a lot of banana flavour. It’s best to make this dessert the day before to allow it to set.

Makes one rectangular pie about 12 cm x 36 cm (14 inch x 4.5 inch)

Ingredients for the crust:

• 3/4 cup cookie crumbs (I save mine from broken cookies in a freezer bag)
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup oats (not instant)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp Skor® bits

Directions for the crust:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
2. Combine everything but the butter and Skor bits in the small bowl of a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the butter. Fold in the Skor bits.
3. Press into a 12 cm x 36 cm (14 inch x 4.5 inch) rectangular tart pan (preferably one that has a removable bottom to make it easier to release).
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

Filling Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas (about 1 cup puréed)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups half & half
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• Whipping cream

Filling Directions:

1. In a heavy-bottom saucepan or double boiler, combine cornstarch, sugar, egg yolks, half & half, and salt and mix well. Set over simmering water or medium to low heat and whisk until thoroughly thickened.
2. Cool over an ice bath and when cooled, whisk in the vanilla and puréed bananas. Set plastic film over the top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set.
3. Whip the butter until light and slowly add the cooled filling to incorporate butter evenly.
4. Combine bananas and lemon juice and purée until smooth. Whip into the prepared pudding.
5. Spoon into the prepared pastry crust and set another plastic film over the top. Refrigerate.
6. Serve slices of the pie garnished with stabilized whipped cream and sprinkled with Skor® bits.

Notes:

• Cookie crumbs are usually trimmings I save from bars, broken cookies and such. I save them in a zip-lock baggy in the freezer and blitz them in the food processor for pie crusts. I got the idea from Momofuko’s Momofuko’s Crack Pie Recipe, plus it gives us a good reason not to eat the trimmings! (Method in my madness!)
• The Skor® bits add a lovely crunch and flavour to the crust, omit without repercussions if you wish.
• The bananas do oxidized a bit, so I modified the instructions to include the puréed bananas just prior to adding to the crust.

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Pickled Garlic Radishes

I had an excess of radishes in my pantry so I decided to pickle them before they turned bad. They will make a nice garnish to pulled pork or a rich stew like bœuf bourguignon.

Pickled Radishes

A KitchenInspirations Original Recipe

Makes 250 mL (1 cup)

Ingredients:

• 160 g (~1 cup) radishes, sliced thinly
• 30 g (~5 cloves) garlic, sliced thinly
• 250 mL (1 cup) white vinegar
• 5 mL (1 tsp) salt
• 5 mL (1 tsp) sugar
• 5 g (~ 6 sprigs) dill sprigs
• 250 mL (1 cup) sterilized canning jar

Directions:

1. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt and heat until both salt and sugar have dissolved, stir well.
2. Add the radishes and garlic slices to the jar and pour the hot liquid over to cover. Tap the jar a few times to burst any air bubbles.
3. Pour the liquid over the radishes and tap the jar on the counter a few times to get the liquid dispersed evenly. Add the dill sprigs, making sure they are covered in the liquid. Screw on the lid.
4. Use immediately or process jar for 10 minutes (or as required in your neck of the woods), allow to cool on the counter. Label. Store for 3 months in a cool, dark place or use within a month in the fridge.

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