Gluten Free Strawberry Scones

3 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend

1/2 cup coconut sugar

3 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

6 tablespoons cold salted grass fed butter, cut into chunks

1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 F

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly. Add strawberries. Fold wet into dry ingredients.

Pat dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 equal portions.

Bake for roughly 40 minutes (more or less) or until a stick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Gluten Free Coconut Orange Bundt Cake

Bundt Cake:

4 cups gluten free all purpose almond flour blend 

4 teaspoons gluten free baking powder 

2 teaspoons guar gum 

2 cups dry coconut flakes

2 oranges (zest only) 

1 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1 cup raw honey 

3 large room temperature eggs 

1 cup melted butter 

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 F

Butter a large bundt cake pan and sprinkle a little flour over the top. Combine all the dry ingredients including orange zest. Whisk all the wet ingredients and add to the dry. Mix until smooth. Pour into the bundt pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until a stick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove f rom the oven to cool completely in the pan before turning out.

Frosting:

1/2 plain yogurt 

2 cups powdered sugar 

1 large orange, juice only

Combine yogurt and orange juice. Beat until smooth. Pour on top of the cake followed by orange zest (refer to the picture).

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns

Buns: 

3 1/2 cups gluten free Almond Blend All Purpose Flour

 2 teaspoons guar gum

 1/2 cup coconut sugar 

1 1/2 cups raisins

 1/2 cup dried mixed fruit (optional) 

1 tablespoon instant yeast 

1 tablespoon cinnamon 

1 tablespoon nutmeg 

1 teaspoon all spice 

2 large oranges (zest only) 

1 1/2 cups full cream milk 

2 large room temperature eggs 

1 cup melted salted grass fed butter 

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Add yeast to warm milk. Set aside for 5 minutes or until it's frothy. Combine all the dry ingredients, including raisins, dried mixed fruit (optional) and orange zest. Set aside. Whisk eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until creamy and add yeast and milk mixture. Add wet ingredients to the dry (add more flour if mixture is too wet or add more milk is mixture is too dry).

Add large scoopfuls of the dough to a greased square or round pan (enough for 18 large rolls). Dip a spatula in cold water to smooth the top of the buns. Brush with egg wash.

Egg Wash: 

1 large room temperature egg 

1 tablespoon cold water

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cross Paste: 

1/2 cup flour 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter 

1/4 tsp GF baking powder 

1/4 cup milk

Combine flour and baking powder. Rub in butter. Stir in enough milk to make a thick batter that can be piped. Add to piping bag. Pipe thin crosses onto the buns (refer to picture). Set buns in a warm, draft free place to double in size (about 1 1/2 hours or more depending on where you live).

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped.

Glaze: 

1 cup orange marmalade

Glaze hot buns with orange marmalade.

Gluten Free Chocolate Vanilla Pikelets

A pikelet is a small pancake. Similar to American pancakes in flavor, pikelets are made out of milk or buttermilk, salt, flour, sugar, eggs, and baking powder. In Australia and New Zealand, a favorite way to eat pikelets is to top them with cream, powdered sugar, and strawberries.

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend 

1/2 teaspoon guar gum 

1 cup bittersweet dark chocolate chunks 

1 tablespoon Heilala Vanilla Sugar

2 tablespoons gluten free baking powder 

1 large room temperature egg 

2 tablespoons melted salted butter 

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste

Combine all the dry ingredients including chocolate chunks. Set aside. Whisk all the wet ingredients.Add wet to dry to make a thick batter (you may not need all the liquid).

Heat a lightly greased frying pan over a moderate heat. Once heated, cook tablespoonfuls of mixture in the pan for about 1-11⁄2 minutes. Once bubbles appear on the surface and burst, flip the pikelets over and cook for about the same time on the opposite side until they are lightly browned. Place on a cake rack to cool and cover with a clean tea towel while cooking the remaining mixture.

Serve warm with or without butter or try serving with whipped cream, melted chocolate, and raspberry jam.Any leftovers can be reheated to refreshen before serving.

Salmon Artichoke Sliders with Creamy Roasted Pepper Dressing

Dressing:

1/4 cup roasted red peppers

2 tablespoons non-pareil Capers  

1 teaspoon blue cheese crumbles

2 tablespoons sour cream

Sea salt and black pepper

Blend until smooth. Season to your preference.  Refrigerate.

Salmon Patties:

6 ounces of cooked salmon

1 tablespoon marinated artichoke hearts

3 large garlic olives, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoons non-pareil capers 

1 tablespoon chopped red onions

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 large egg

Sea salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine all the ingredients (except olive oil).  Season lightly with sea salt and black pepper to taste.  Divide ingredients into 4 equal portions and form into round patties. Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large, hot skillet (medium heat) and add patties.  Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until firm (roughly 6 minutes total).

Sliders:

2 large slices of artisan ciabatta bread, cut into 4 equal squares each

4 spinach leaves

8 fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 slices swiss cheese, cut into 4 equal squares

Sandwich Preparation:

Spread dressing on the bottom of 4 slices of bread.  Add spinach and cheese, followed by the patties and tomatoes.  Drizzle with extra dressing on top before you close the sandwich.

Biggest Food Safety Disasters 2012

www.huffingtonpost.com - September 27th, 2012

If there's something we tend to take for granted, it's food safety. We hardly expect the bag of lettuce we buy at the supermarket, or the jar of peanut butter or the cantaloupe, to harm us.

But 2012 has shown us that as consumers it pays to be vigilant -- mass production often lends itself to facilities that have proved a fertile breeding ground for harmful pathogens like salmonella, e. coli and listeria. Still, even small producers often find themselves caught up in recalls.

Among the most dangerous recalls this year was one involving cantaloupes, which sickened upwards of 150 people and killed two. Another involving a tainted tuna product sickened 116 and sparked a debate about "tuna scrape." "Pink slime" was another hot topic in recent months, raising concerns and questions from health experts and other members of the food community.

The best way to protect yourself is to stay informed. With that in mind, click through the below gallery of 2012's biggest food safety disasters.

Read More

Gluten Free Mini Plum Apricot Cakes

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour blend

1 cup coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

6 egg whites

175g butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure almond essence

1/2 cup fresh apricots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh plums, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sift flour, xanthan gum, and powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Mix in almond flour and orange zest, make a well in the center of the bowl.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks starts to form. Add almond essence and orange juice. Pour into the well with the melted butter. Fold gently together to combine.

Pour into a prepared 12 cup muffin pan (about 3/4 full) or small ramekins. Arrange fruit on top.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until baked and golden brown. Remove from the oven. Let stand for about 5 minutes before you remove onto a serving plate.

Serve warm with ice cream and fresh whipped cream.