I think we might have to rename the Book of Yum to “the Book of Amaranth” if I keep this up. I can’t help it. I’m eating amaranth every four days, thanks to this crazy allergen-free, gluten-free diet that I’m on. I’ve gone through phases. There was the amaranth banana muffin phase, the “amaranth gruel baked into a cracker phase, the amaranth soda bread phase, the amaranth pizza phase… but lately I’ve been bored with all of these. My food fantasies turned towards the sweet, and I started having visions of raisins and cinnamon sugar. Sorghum recipes go with cinnamon and sugar like jam goes on toast, so that has been easy. But the other day it occurred to me that perhaps the earthy flavor of amaranth might be coaxed into submission by the assertive flavors of cinnamon and raisin. In fact, amaranth might start to function like teff in my favorite gluten-free graham cracker recipe by Rebecca Reilly, adding depth and an almost graham flour flavor. So, I decided to try. I used my amaranth soda bread recipe as the jumping off point to create a healthy, low in fat and low in sugar scone that you can have for an everyday breakfast without an obscene sugar rush. And you know what? I liked it. I liked it a lot. Oh, and if you don’t want to bother with forming individual scones, you can also just make a cinnamon raisin soda bread round and cut it to serve. It isn’t quite as cute, but it tastes every bit as good. Tell me what you think, and about your experiments with amaranth. Let’s dish amaranth!
1 cup raisins (i used jumbo assorted) soaked in warm water 2 tablespoons boiling water 3/4 teaspoon unbuffered vitamin C crystals 4 tablespoons coconut oil or other oil (grapeseed, canola, etc) 3/4 cup warm hemp milk (or other dairy-free milk) 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cup cups amaranth flour 1/2 cup sorghum flour 3/4 cup arrowroot starch 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Penzey’s Baking Spice (or pumpkin pie blend, or cinnamon sugar) 2 teaspoons baking soda
Extra warm hemp milk (or other dairy-free milk) for basting cinnamon sugar Raw sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400F. Cut a circle of parchment paper to cover the bottom of a round cake tin. Also cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put your raisins in a small bowl and pour warm or boiling water over them. Let sit.
Put your vitamin c in the boiling water. If it doesn’t dissolve, whisk it in.
Combine amaranth flour, sorghum flour, arrowroot starch, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and baking spice in a large bowl. Drain your raisins and add them to the dry mix. Next, add your water with vitamin C, hemp or other dairy-free milk, vanilla, and oil, and stir with a big wooden spoon. Begin to fold it all together. You can mistreat this dough a bit. Beat it up, fold it up until it seems thoroughly mixed and your arm feels tired. Plop the dough onto your cake pan and shape it into a circle about 1 inch high that doesn’t quite touch the edges. You can dampen your hands to shape it or use a cake frosting knife to smooth out the edges.
Remove dough round (along with parchment circle) from the cake pan and put on a cutting board. Use a damp or oiled bread knife to cut the round in half, then quarters, and finally into eighths as if you were cutting a pie. Use a thin spatula or pie server to remove the triangles of dough one by one and place them onto the cookie sheet’s parchment paper. Do not let their edges touch. Brush with warm hemp milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and raw sugar. Pop in the oven. Lower oven temperature to 325 and bake for 45 minutes or until scone has a nice texture. (Depends on your preference; I like my amaranth a little over-baked so it is not gummy.)
Remove from oven and serve! Would be good with soy-free margarine, coconut ice cream, or cashew cream if you do nuts.
Rating:8
Original Source:Inspired by an earlier recipe for irish soda bread, but my original creation. Do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Thanks!
It is ironic that although amaranth is my least favorite of the gluten-free grains or pseudo-grains that I’m eating, I’ve managed to come up with a fair number of recipes using the flour that I actually like. Maybe it is all part of that necessity being the mother of invention thing… however that saying goes. This particular recipe for an allergen-free soda bread is based on one I found floating around the internet without a clear author, but which I’ve modified to suit my tastes. It is crunchy and has a earthy flavor that I find pairs beautifully with a hearty, vegan soup or a creamy, dairy-free dip like my latest riff on baba ghanoush. Unlike most dips, this dip is bean-free, dairy-free, soy-free and even sesame or tahini-free. The fresh cilantro gives it a light, herb note while roasted eggplant gives it body and soul… and homemade sunflower butter stands in for sesame paste. I enjoyed this bread and dip with some luscious kalamata olives and considered myself a pretty lucky gluten-free, allergen-free breastfeeding mama.
Gluten-free Allergen-free Amaranth Soda Bread Recipe
2 tablespoons boiling water 3/4 teaspoon unbuffered vitamin C crystals 4 tablespoons coconut oil or other oil 3/4 cup warm hemp milk (or other dairy-free milk)
2 1/4 cup cups amaranth flour 1/4 cup additional amaranth flour 3/4 cup arrowroot starch 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon caraway seed 2 teaspoons baking soda
kosher salt flakes herbal blend like Penzey’s Provencal herb mix
Directions
Preheat oven to 400F. Cut a circle of parchment paper to cover the bottom of a round cake tin.
Put your vitamin c in the boiling water. If it doesn’t dissolve, whisk it in.
Combine 2 1/4 cup amaranth flour, arrowroot starch, salt, baking soda and caraway seed in a large bowl. Add your water with vitamin C, hemp or other dairy-free milk and oil, and stir with a big wooden spoon. Sprinkle with the additional 1/4 cup of additional amaranth flour and fold it all together. You can mistreat this dough a bit. Beat it up, fold it up until it seems thoroughly mixed and your arm feels tired. Plop the dough onto your cake pan and shape it into a circle about 1 inch high. You can dampen your hands to shape it or use a cake frosting knife to smooth out the edges. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a nice herbal blend and cut an X in the top, just because it is fun and makes it seem more authentic. Pop in the oven. Lower oven temperature to 325 and bake for 55 minutes or until the center is done to your taste. (I like it pretty done and not doughy in the middle so I put it back in sometimes.)
Cut into triangles and enjoy with some soy free margarine, super yummy lemon olive oil, or baba ganoush.
Notes
Surprisingly addictive.
Rating:9
Original Source:Adapted from online sources, original source unknown. Please do not replicate without my permission. THanks!
2 scallion bulbs 2 tbsp sunbutter (I ground roasted unsalted sunflower seeds with a drizzle of lemon olive oil) Olive oil (basil or other flavored oil is lovely) 1/4 tsp of salt (or more to taste, especially if using homemade unsalted sunbutter) handful of fresh cilantro 1 fresh lime 1 tsp agave nectar (optional) fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Cut eggplant in half horizontally and place in baking dish with freshly cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast on 425 for 20-30 minutes or until flesh is golden brown. Turn over and bake ten more minutes. Then remove from oven and cool.
If making your own sunbutter, grind your seeds and olive oil first in a small food processor or blender. (I have a small powerful food processor that I love for this.) Then scoop out the flesh of your roasted eggplant and add it to the food processor. Add the green onion bulbs to the processor with only a little of the green top if desired. If desired, add a drizzle of your favorite olive oil. I used a Basil Olive oil. Blend until you have a creamy sauce. Then add salt, cilantro, lime, agave and pepper and blend, blend, blend.
Notes
Sunflower seed is no tahini, but did you know sesame is a rising allergen, especially in countries where it is part of the national cuisine? This is also garlic-free.
Rating:8
Original Source:The contents of my brain, please do not replicate without my permission.
In fact, amaranth might start to function like teff in my favorite gluten-free graham cracker recipe by Rebecca Reilly
