For my contribution, I thought I’d share an unusual but absolutely recipe for delicious apricot glazed brussels sprouts. In my opinion, brussel sprouts are an unfairly maligned vegetable. If they are prepared right, they can be really, really tasty.

Here are some lovely blog recipes for Brussel Sprouts.
I tried the first three recipes and they were YUMMY!
Elana’s Pantry Chestnuts with Brussel Sprouts
Gluten-free Bay Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Gluten-free Bay Lemon Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Fat Free Vegan Brussels Sprouts with Basil and Garlic
Simply Recipes Hashed Brussel Sprouts with Lemon

Apricot Glazed Roasted Brussel Sprout recipe Side Dish  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 1 lb- 1 1/2 lb. brussels sprout olive oil dried dill to taste salt pepper 1/2 cup apricot jam (i use a no-sugar variety) 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice lemon zest, if desired Directions Clean sprouts and shake off water, or fold in a towel. Cut in half, horizontally, and place in medium to large bowl, drizzling with olive oil. Season with dill, salt, and pepper and place flat on cookie sheet. I think that it is easiest if you put them all one way, either flat, cut side face down or round exterior face down. Place in 425 F oven and bake for 15 minutes and then check. If one side is nicely browned, turn over. Otherwise, put back in oven for another 10-15 minutes or until browned on one side. (This will depend on size of the brussel sprout) When this one side is brown, turn the sprouts over and bake for 5-10 minutes or until done to your preference. I like them more done than my DH- My favorite part is the crispy, paper-like exterior. yum! He likes them lightly browned but not papery. To each their own. While sprouts finish browning, put your jam, lemon juice, and zest in a heavy bottomed, small soup pot. Bring to a simmer and let it come to a liquid like texture. Then turn off the stove and reserve glaze. When brussel sprouts are done, put in a pretty, medium sized serving bowl and drizzle generously with glaze, stirring if necessary. Serve and enjoy!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Contents of my brain, inspired by many recipes online. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Thanks! Recipe ID:  1466 Added:  October 18, 2009 Last Modified:  October 18, 2009

People often don’t know what to feed vegetarians, I’m sorry to say. Some people seem to think vegetarians only eat bunny food, and that we subsist solely on leafy lettuce and crunchy raw carrots. I love bunnies and I have nothing against lettuce or carrots persay, but if I had to eat plain, cold lettuce salads every day I think I’d hop off a cliff.

I think it can be intimidating to have a gluten-free vegetarian over for dinner at Thanksgiving when the main course (the big bird) just isn’t our thing. Between the meat and the wheat, a Thanksgiving menu can be full of dishes that strikes terror into the heart of a gluten-free vegetarian. Stuffing often contains non-veg ingredients, and is chock full of poisonous bread that threatens to contaminate everything on the table. Honestly, that mound of gluten scares me down to my little bunny soul. We can have some of the traditional vegetable side dishes, but some of them just aren’t very appetizing. Frozen peas and canned sweet potatoes, anyone? *shudder* Cooking your own homemade gluten-free vegetarian meal for Thanksgiving the first time can be a little intimidating as well. Some recipes are easy to make vegetarian like mashed potatoes, green beans, and most desserts. But what dish can you use as your main entree to take the holiday to a whole new delicious level? And what sides will round out that gluten-free vegetarian meal in such a delicious way that even confirmed carnivores won’t miss the meat?

Over the years I’ve developed some gluten-free vegetarian recipes that make my heart sing every year, and make me happier than the traditional stuff ever could because they taste great. This year I decided to host an event showcasing the best of gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving fare both from my kitchen and from other bloggers’ kitchens. I hope it will give those of you with experience lots of new ideas, and help encourage those of you who are new to feeding gluten-free vegetarians. Stay tuned tomorrow for the introduction of another gluten-free blogger’s Thanksgiving recipe and a classic Book of Yum Thanksgiving entree recipe. You can look forward to daily posts with recipes here at the Book of Yum right up to Thanksgiving. What’s your favorite gluten-free vegetarian entree? Share in the comments and I’ll add my favorites to a Thanksgiving recipe link list!

I’ve been thinking about what to make for a gluten-free vegetarian entree this year, and I came up with something new just for you. I have had this recipe for roasted, un-panko coated squash slices floating around my brain for weeks now. I wanted to share it as a special vegetarian and vegan main entree that could take proud center stage in your Thanksgiving meal.
The Raw Ingredients: Squash

The Finished Product

We love nutritional yeast in our house, so I had to include some in the coating. If it isn’t your thing, you could try the recipe without it- but I think you’d be missing out! Because in my opinion a hearty main entree needs a protein accompaniment, I have two options- a crunchy tofu “katsu” for those who enjoy soy, or a roasted chickpea inspired by Indian snacks (with Thanksgiving seasonings instead of Indian flavors).

This post is the inaugural post for our 10 day Vegetarian Thanksgiving Series. Look for this banner on other blog posts and click to come back to this headquarter page for our Vegetarian Thanksgiving event!

Gluten-free Vegetarian Thanksgiving Event Posts:
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 1: Un-Panko Roasted Squash Slices
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 2: Rosemary-Thyme Gluten-free Roll (with vegan option linked)
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 3: Spinach Pie (with Vegan Allergen-friendly Recipe)
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 4: Apricot Glazed Brussels Sprouts
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 5: NEW RECIPE! Vegan Pumpkin Chestnut Sage Soup with Pine Nut Cream Sauce
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 6: Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 7: A Cranberry Crustless Pie that resembles a dump cake without the mix!
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 8: Portobella Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash

Links to all of the recipes posted for our Vegetarian Thanksgiving Event
Bernice’s Wheatless and Meatless Recipe for Baked Cranberry Apple Dessert
Kalinda of Wheat-free Meat Free Recipe for a Vegetarian gluten-free Mushroom Nut Roast
Kim’s Welcoming Kitchen Recipe for Mushroom Socca Tartlet
Kimberly of the Nutty Garbanzo Recipe for Vegan Ginger Kissed Squash Soup
Lauren of As Good as Gluten Recipe for a Pear Custard Pie
Nicole of Special Diet Creation Recipe for Vegan and almost-raw Cranberry Cheesecake

Links with Tips to help you host or safely enjoy a Gluten-free Thanksgiving Dinner:
for the hosts new to gluten-free baking
How to Cook Gluten-free For Guests by Diane
How to Cook Gluten-free for the People You Love by Shauna
for the gluten-free guest
5 Tips for a Safe Gluten-free Thanksgiving of Group Event by Shirley

Gluten-free Thanksgiving Recipe Roundups:
How to Have the Best Gluten-free Thanksgiving and a Recipe Roundup by Heidi
Thanksgiving Recipes and Tips from Karina the Gluten-free Goddess
More Coming Soon!

Dairy-free Thanksgiving Recipe Roundups:
Go Dairy Free Annual Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup *some gluten-free recipes*

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup: (not all recipes are Gluten-free as written)
Vanilla and Spice Vegan Thanksgiving Roundup
Oh She Glows Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup

Desperate for a cookbook with lots of gluten-free recipes to choose from for the holidays? It isn’t too late, especially if you are looking for Christmas recipes too. With Amazon Prime you can get a cookbook in 2 days. I recommend Bette Hagman for her bread and biscotti recipes, Rebecca Reilly for any of her desserts, Annalise Roberts for her baked staples, Ali Segersen for those looking for whole foods recipes that are allergen sensitive, Kelly Brosyna for those looking for low carb alternative flour recipes, and Elena Amsterdam for those wanting almond flour and delicious savory recipes. *None of these cookbooks are specifically vegetarian*

Roasted Breaded Squash Slices Main Course  Vegetables

Ingredients 1/2 large kabocha 1/2 medium sized squash like butternut etc. 2-3 assorted beets or more squash peanut, grapeseed, or olive oil for drizzling Un-Panko Breading: 1 cup Erewhon unsweetened Corn Flakes, crushed 1/4 cup almond meal (I like Trader Joe’s for breading) 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1 tsp poultry seasoning 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp freeze dried chives or dried toasted onion powder between 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp herbamare (to taste) or your favorite salt blend (if you use plain salt definitely just use 1/2 tsp) *Optional Veg Protein Recipe (Tofu or Chickpea) Directions Prepare kabocha by cutting in half, scooping out innards and seeds, and then slicing squash flash into 1/4 inch crescents. Prepare hard skinned squash like butternut by peeling and then cutting them in half, scooping out the innards and seeds, and then slicing peeled squash into 1/4 inch crescents. Prepare beets by peeling and slicing into scant 1/4 inch rounds. Note that red beets will bleed, so if you are going to use them, do them last and keep them apart from the yellow squash. Golden beets will not be a problem, but they don’t give you the pretty pop of color you get from red beets. I used a combination of yellow and red beets. Preheat oven to 400F. Place your squash and beet slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with your favorite oil. Rub the oil to cover both sides of your veggies. I used peanut oil, but grapeseed or olive would be great too. Combine ingredients for your Un-Panko Breading in a small to medium bowl, making sure your corn flakes are crushed into little flakes. Then place half of your breading into a gallon ziploc bag. Put your oiled squash and beet slices in your ziploc bag in batches and shake so they are entirely covered with breading. Leave red beets for the very last round so they don’t dye your other veggies. Place each batch of breaded veggies on your baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes and then turn, baking another 20 minutes or until slices are tender and golden brown on both sides. Serve on a large, beautiful serving dish with optional vegetarian protein accompaniment. Toasted pecans and fresh parsley make nice garnishes.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Recipe ID:  1576 Added:  November 13, 2011 Last Modified:  November 14, 2011

Roasted Breaded Tofu Cubes Main Course  Tofu  American

Ingredients 1/2 of a firm tofu block that has been sliced horizontally, drained, wrapped in a towel and pressed for at least 30 minutes 1 large dollup of vegan mayonnaise splash of unsweetened, plain soy milk Un-Panko Breading mix (See my Roasted Breaded Squash Recipe) Directions Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare baking dish. After tofu has been pressed, cut it into cubes. Put your vegan mayonnaise in a shallow bowl and add enough soy milk to make it thin enough for dipping. Dip your tofu cubes in the mayo-milk mixture and place in a quart ziploc bag with about 1/2 cup of Un-Panko Breading Mix. Shake gently until tofu is coated with breading mix. Place tofu cubes in a single layer in your baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes or until breading is crunchy and lightly browned. Serve as the optional veg protein accompaniment with my Roasted Breaded Squash Recipe. Notes I like the plain flavor of tofu, but I think it would be even better if the pressed tofu was marinated in a gluten-free soy sauce before being coated in breading. It was a nice accompaniment to my roasted squash, though. Pictured as served with roasted red beet slices and roasted squash.

Rating:  7 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Recipe ID:  1577 Added:  November 13, 2011 Last Modified:  November 14, 2011

Un-Panko Roasted Chickpeas Main Course  American

Ingredients 1 can chickpeas, drained Your favorite oil (grapeseed, olive, peanut) 1/4 recipe of Gluten-free Un-Panko Breading Directions Preheat oven to 400F and prepare baking sheet by covering it with a layer of parchment paper. Empty chickpeas onto sheet and drizzle with your favorite oil, spreading to cover chickpeas evenly. Mix the gluten-free Un-Panko breading into the chickpeas and then spread out chickpeas again. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until Chickpeas and breading are dry and lightly browned. Serve as an optional protein with my Roasted Breaded Squash Recipe.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Recipe ID:  1578 Added:  November 13, 2011 Last Modified:  November 14, 2011

I was very happy to get permission to share the lime cupcakes with you here. I hope you enjoy them, and enjoy Elana’s cookbooks as much as I do. I’ve been baking gluten-free my entire life, and I’m used to shuffling canisters of gluten-free flours out of the pantry, but baking from her books is like taking a vacation from being gluten-free. Just one (or at most two) flours and basic, whole ingredients, and you have a great tasting, quality recipe. If I hadn’t made her recipes myself, I’m not sure I’d believe it.

You’ll need these ingredients… especially if you win the extra copy of Elana’s book I’ll be giving away on Facebook at the Book of Yum Page!

Want more?
Shirley of Gluten-free Easily made her Marble Cupcakes
Kim of Cook it Allergy-free made many of Elana’s sweet cupcakes, a savory cupcake and also the lime cupcake!
Heidi of Adventures of a Gluten-free Mom also tried Elana’s lime cupcakes! (Great minds think alike, I guess!)

*All photographs from the House of Yum except of course for the cookbook cover.

Lime Cupcakes

Ingredients Makes 10 Sweetness: Medium 1/2 cup coconut flour 1/2 cup blanched almond flour 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 3 large eggs 1/2 cup grapeseed oil 1/2 cup agave nectar 2 tablespoons firmly packed lime zest, plus more to decorate (about 3 limes) Directions Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, almond flour, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, grapeseed oil, agave nectar, and 2 tablespoons lime zest. Blend the wet ingredients into the coconut flour mixture with a handheld mixer until thoroughly combined. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 1 hour, then frost, sprinkle with the remaining lime zest, and serve. Notes Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour. Copyright © 2011 by Elana Amsterdam, Celestial Arts, an imprint of Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Reprinted with permission, see Notes. Recipe ID:  1549 Added:  April 27, 2011 Last Modified:  April 27, 2011

Cream Cheese Lime Frosting Sauces & Condiments  Dairy  American

Ingredients 1 package lowfat cream cheese (for dairy free, you can try Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese) 1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar (*start with 1/4 cup and keep adding to taste) 1/2 tsp. vanilla one half of a small lime, juiced (or less, to taste) 1/2 tsp lime zest Directions Put your cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and microwave briefly until soft enough to stir. Add vanilla and begin adding powdered sugar to taste, whipping together with a standing or hand-held mixer. Add a dash of lime juice and your lime zest to the mixer and combine thoroughly. Taste and add more if needed. It will be too soft and runny for frosting at this point, so put in a freezer safe ziploc bag and chill in refrigerator until it is thick enough to frost with (at least 30 minutes).

Rating:  7 Original Source:  My husband whipped this up to accompany Elana’s Lime Cupcakes. Entirely his own creation; please do not replicate without permission. Recipe ID:  1550 Added:  April 27, 2011 Last Modified:  April 27, 2011

Baby Yum gave them her seal of approval by stealing one from my photo shoot and nibbling on it. As is the way with toddlers, she only had a few bites since it was her first time with the flavor. These falafel “cookies” make a fantastic and very portable snack and would be great in a lunch box, so Baby Yum can expect to be seeing these in the future.

I also made Stephanie’s Quinoa Salad. Now, I have a rule that with our event, we try to follow recipes as closely as humanly possible so we experience the recipes as the author intended (and are reviewing them fairly). With this recipe, since I’d followed her falafel recipe to the letter, I took a little license and followed the dressing recipe exactly but substituted apple slices and grated carrot for the mango and red pepper, respectively. (I was out of red pepper and don’t care for mango.) It was an interesting and tasty recipe. Rinsing the quinoa didn’t quite work for me, probably because I initially overcooked the quinoa. I think next time I would just prepare the quinoa as I usually do by putting quinoa and water in the pot together, bringing them to a boil, lowering the heat and simmering them, covered, for 12-15 minutes. Anyway. The curry dressing was very pleasant and added a mild kick to plain quinoa. I also loved the addition of mint. This recipe has a lot of potential and I look forward to experimenting with variations in the future!

Now, I was planning to stop there, honest. That was, until I saw that Stephanie is something of a Macaron aficionado. Perhaps it has something to do with living in the Bay Area. Just this weekend I visited the Japanese pastry shop Satura and saw their lovely assortment of brightly colored macarons, all labeled “Gluten Free.” They have quite a few desserts labeled gluten-free, actually- their Yuna chocolate cake, a new sesame pudding type dessert, and a berry macaron delight. However, one always has to wonder about cross contamination from a gluten-producing bakery, and that weekend after I had the Yuna cake and the sesame pudding I did not feel well. I also ate gobs of raw garlic on pizza that same day, so who knows what resulted in ye ol’ rumbly tummy. But anyway. The point is, macarons are lovely. I saw them, and I wanted them. And what serendipity to find that Wasabimon is practically the headquarters of macaron design, having featured an entire week devoted to them at one point, and coming up with various lovely versions over the years she has been blogging. Wondering what the difference is between a Macaroon and a Macaron? Stephanie has the answer for you!

The most enticing version of all is her Rosewater and Vanilla Macaron Recipe. Can’t you just imagine how delightful that combination would be? I will admit that the fact that a candy thermometer was required gave me pause. And the requirement of beating egg whites into soft peaks sent a frisson of terror down my spine. Eggs and I have never gotten along that well, and I have about as light a touch with them as Baby Yum has with a porcelain goblet. (The latter met an unfortunate end and was smashed into bitty pieces onto the floor. Luckily we were able to whisk Baby Yum away before any pieces embedded themselves into her tender baby feet. But I digress.) However. With thoughts of rosewater and vanilla dancing in my head, I steeled my soul and prepared the kitchen for battle. I brought out my scale; a useful device that I rarely am organized enough to use. I measured and poured like a mad scientist, which is really the appeal of that scale and why I think American cooks like the Gluten-free Girl have been turned on to its use. I soft boiled the rosewater candy syrup. At this point, post soft-peak, was when Baby Yum decided it was time for Mommy to read to her. I turned her loose on the cat and continued my project. I didn’t have any food coloring, natural or otherwise, so I decided to go all-natural and grate some beets for the juice to use as coloring. Really a good idea, if I do say so myself. However, I should have reduced the water proportionately. Ah well. It was only a half teaspoon or so, but who knows where these things go wrong. I did have serious difficulty folding the meringue type stuff into the almond paste. The latter was so heavy and thick that I felt to get it truly incorporated I would have to destroy the puff in my marshmallow puff look-alike meringue. So, I will admit, I left it a little on the lumpy side. Just slightly. I piped out my macaron using the old Alton Brown standby- a quart ziploc bag with a hole cut out the corner. I should have cut a larger hole, I suppose, so I could pipe each macaron out in one lovely blob. Next time. I had three baking sheets worth of macaron, which I wasn’t quite expecting. I filled all my baking sheets and then had some left over, so I filled a heart shaped Madeleine mold for good measure. Not really a good idea, but I was experimenting. They sat on the counter. The recipe suggested they would be dry in 25 minutes or so, and I sat down to tweet about my adventure. Twenty-five minutes later they were still sticky to the touch. An hour later, they were still sticky. The darned things just wouldn’t dry out and form that lovely crust that keeps them together when they puff, forming “feet” at the bottom (a rough-textured platform). Finally one batch seemed relatively dry. I put them in the oven and watched them anxiously. They puffed- but not from the bottom, from the top, and cracked. I didn’t remember seeing any cracks in Stephanie’s gorgeous macaron. And, after the requisite time, when I took them out and tried to remove some of them from the baking sheet, the lids popped off revealing a wet interior. Tragedy! I looked online. It turns out the humble macaron is not so humble. Unlike its home cook friendly cousin, the macaroon, macaron have caused many a pastry chef to shed bitter tears of disappointment. Unbeknown to me, they are figety little devils that demand the perfect humidity, timing, and skill to form their deceptively simple little “legs” and transform into the French cross between a meringue and an oreo cookie. Apparently I might as well have tried to master the souffle in one try as these bad boys. Now they tell me.

To make a long story short, I didn’t manage to make a single perfect macaron. I did manage to make some that released cleanly from the parchment paper on the baking sheet, but every single one cracked on the top and failed to develop their feet. Alas! However, I plunged ahead, not one to let a disappointment stop me from making a buttercream vanilla filling for my little ugly ducklings. The frosting was divine. I added lemon juice along with the vanilla as flavoring, as per Stephanie’s instructions, and it provided that little something extra that made my mouth very, very happy. And caused my blood sugar to skyrocket. Whew. But lovely, nonetheless.

At long last, I took two of my un-macaron cookies, basted them with vanilla filling, and stuck them together. I did this delicately, because my ugly-ducklings were more fragile than they should have been. I took a bite, and swooned. If fairy princesses were to exist and eat cookies because they are fairies and not prone to expanding waistlines, they would live on these and skip the ambrosia. The rosewater made me feel like I was dining on delicately perfumed floral dew, and combined with the comforting and familiar vanilla ever so lightly spiked with tart lemon, I was in heaven. Stephanie was inspired when she created this recipe. Inspired. Now if she would just come to my house and make them for me so I could experience a perfect macaron. If I have to wait for me to master this recipe, it could take a very, very long time.

Even failures can taste divine...

To conclude, this adoption was an amazing experience and I feel that I really got to know another very special gluten-free blogger’s culinary point of view. Stephanie’s international savory recipes were right up my alley, and her European sweets recipes challenged me and took me back to my days as a participant in the Daring Baker event. I enjoyed this adoption thoroughly and look forward to seeing what else is in store for us at Wasabimon.

Other Enticing Recipes at Wasabimon:
Yellow Thai Curry
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Chana Spinach Curry
Gratin Dauphinois
Lemon Verbena Macaron
Gluten-free Strawberry Pecan Pastry
Gluten-free Brioche Recipe

Too many to count!

Around 15 months ago I went to BlogHer Food, a food blogger’s conference, and a woman named Elana from my DH’s hometown of Boulder gave me some delicious gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. They were from her blog, Elana’s Pantry, and her cookbook The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. As soon as I got home I ordered her cookbook and researched almond flour. Elana uses Blanched Almond Meal Flour (Bob’s or other meal type almond products won’t work in her recipes), so I ordered some of that, too. Meanwhile the severity of Baby Yum’s sensitivity to proteins in my milk was becoming increasingly clear to us, and on the recommendation of our pediatrician, I decided to go on a restricted allergen-free diet to continue breast-feeding her. All well and good, but that meant no nuts- and no almond flour, and hence, I couldn’t make a darned thing from Elana’s book. The almond flour went in the freezer, the cookbook went in the bookshelf, and I gnashed my teeth in frustration. And then I went and looked at my beautiful baby’s downy head, and touched her soft, round little cheek, and knew it was all worth it. Fast-forward a year and some. Baby Kira has outgrown her protein sensitivity and the pediatrician has cleared me for a normal diet, barring reactions. Nuts are back on the table, and so are Elana’s almond flour recipes.

This month for Adopt a Gluten-free Blogger I was a woman on a mission. I wanted to try as many of Elana’s recipes both from her blog and in her cookbook as possible. But where to start?

From her blog, I tried her chestnuts with brussel sprouts, pumpkin custard, pumpkin bars, cauliflower rice, and chocolate chip cookies.

On Thanksgiving we tried Elana’s Chestnuts with Brussel Sprouts. I was a little nervous to try a brand new recipe for a big holiday celebration with the in-laws, but it turned out beautifully. I always love creative brussel sprouts recipes that show people that there are more ways to prepare the vegetable than by boiling. It had never occurred to me to try sauteeing chestnuts with my brussel sprouts, and I loved the pan searing method. I usually roast them in the oven, but they were just as flavorful on the stovetop. I have to admit that I cheated and used prepared chestnuts, but only because they were out of fresh at the store, and I happened to have several packs of the prepared stuff in my cupboard. I loved the recipe, but I did catch my DH picking off the chestnuts. Apparently he doesn’t like them. Oh well, at least he ate the sprouts themselves. One small victory for green veggies! I would make this recipe again any time, and even for Thanksgiving again!

Elana’s vegan pumpkin custard recipe caught my eye with its creamy texture and intriguing flavoring. The cashew base was brilliant, and I was excited to try it. However, I think this may be one case where equipment really does matter. Elana uses a Vitamix and I don’t even have a blender right now, since an unfortunate incident involving hot soup and aging rubber spokes on a Kitchenaid blender. Oh how I wish I had a Vitamix, but it just isn’t in the budget. What I do have are a regular sized Kitchenaid Food Processor in Red and a mini Cuisinart food processor. I like them both, but they are not well suited to raw nut applications, and I ended up with a slightly chunky custard. Oops. Let me reiterate- I need a vitamix! or at least a new improved Kitchenaid. Can you tell I’ve been thinking about blenders a lot lately? Anyway, I loved the concept of this recipe but wasn’t able to execute it quite to my satisfaction. Also, it had a hard time competing at our table with more traditional, sweeter pumpkin pie. I thought the agar agar thickened very nicely, and might try it again if I had better equipment.

I was intrigued when I saw Elana’s recipe for Gluten-free dairy-free Pumpkin Bars. I love me some pumpkin bars! These didn’t disappoint. I happened to be out of pumpkin, but I had canned butternut squash, and you would never have known they weren’t made from pumpkin. Elana’s recipe yielded light, fluffy, pumpkin flavored bars that you would never guess were grain-free. I made this recipe for my Bay Area Celiac Support Group (otherwise known as gourmet dining potluck party group) and watched them vanish as if by magic. Every time I looked at the table, more were gone- and yet I hadn’t seen anyone take them! Truly, it was mysterious. Not that I wanted to hoard them for myself, of course. I also made a cashew cream “frosting” for them, but it wasn’t really necessary. Of course my husband said he wanted cream cheese frosting on them. That rebel. Since that post-Thanksgiving potluck, I’ve made them once more, and I see another batch in my future. This is the perfect bar, in my opinion. Not too sweet, but yet not too healthy tasting either. Low in guilt and high in satisfaction. A 10 out of 10. I’ll be making this many times in the years to come. It makes the requirements of Elana’s recipes- that expensive blanched almond flour and agave nectar- entirely worth it.

Since I’m currently not eating rice, I was intrigued to find this recipe for cauliflower rice on Elana’s blog. I loved the idea and thought it had lots of possibilities. I have to admit, I came up with my own version. Since I’d been so careful to follow her recipes exactly and I made so many of them, I was creative. I may share in upcoming days. But anyway, this recipe was a brilliant idea and it has lots of potential. Delicious as written, and delicious with changes too. Love it!


Somehow I forgot to take a picture of Elana’s Chocolate Chip cookies, which is ironic considering they are the recipe that inspired me to go on this journey. Whoops! I have to admit, I didn’t pack down my almond flour enough the first time around, and so my first batch of cookies spread out and were thin and soft. My mother-in-law liked them best this way, but I thought they were better when I packed down the flour more. Anyway, this is a brilliant recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies and Elana’s favorite chocolate chips make them extra-special. I have to admit, I just used the dairy-free chocolate chips in my pantry.

A recap of Elana’s Recipes from her blog:
Chestnut with Brussel Sprout Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Custard Recipe
Gluten-free Vegan Pumpkin Bars
Cauliflower Rice
Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

And now, for a review of some recipes from her cookbook! Speaking of Elana’s cookbook, at the last Blogher conference she gave me a copy for a reader giveaway. Yes, I have not one but TWO copies of Elana’s book! I’ll be keeping mine, but should you like a free copy of her book, enter by simply comment on this post and tell me what your favorite recipe from her blog (or cookbook) is and why. I’ll use some random number generator thingy to pick a winner and announce it on December 18th. For additional entries, you can

Follow me on Twitter (and Tell me in a comment you have done so)
Like me on Facebook (and Tell me in a comment you have done so)
or
Tweet about this post (and Tell me in a comment you’ve done so)

*UPDATE ON DEC 18 2010- the winner was Renee of Beyond Rice and Tofu. Congratulations, Renee!

*Since I’m paying out of pocket for postage, I’m afraid the contest is only open to those with a US mailing address. Sorry my dear international readers…

Good luck!

Chocolate Chip Scones

The first recipe I made from Elana’s cookbook were her Chocolate Chip Scones, on the recommendation of my fellow gluten-free blogger friends. I like scones, and I like chocolate chips. This recipe satisfied on both accounts. The scone was light, the chocolate chips were rich, and my dairy-free, low-carb Mother gave them a big thumbs up. We ate the batch so fast I was lucky to get a photo of any of them. I’ll be making this recipe again!

Apricot Orange Scones

This apricot orange scone recipe was a delightful surprise, and one that everyone enjoyed, even family members used to eating dairy and gluten. I liked the sophisticated flavor, reminiscent of biscotti, and the great texture characteristic of her baked goods. My lack of a blender was unfortunate, as my food processor left me with larger pieces of dried apricot than I think Elana’s original would have had. However, they tasted great and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I substituted maple syrup for part of the agave nectar because I ran out of agave halfway through making the recipe, and the maple syrup made them slightly sweet for my taste, but that is no fault of the recipe! I would make this for a fancy brunch or holiday treat any time!

Gluten-free Biscuits
These biscuits are an extremely versatile recipe, and I appreciated that they could be either made savory with vegan gravy or sandwich fillings, or sweet by topping them with jam. Elana even suggests using them for strawberry shortcake, which sounds delightful. This could be an everyday sandwich bread-type recipe. As always, the texture was perfect and the flavor was excellent. I’ll be making them again!

In short, every single recipe I tried from Elana’s blog or cookbook was delicious. I hadn’t been certain of whether I would like baked goods with only one flour in them, based in almond flour, eggs, agave nectar, and grapeseed oil. But when I tried them, I was very impressed with the texture and flavor. This cookbook simply won’t work if you have to avoid almonds (obviously) but eggs also play a very important role, so if you are allergic to eggs, it probably isn’t the cookbook for you. Now that I’m eating both almonds and eggs again, I enjoyed the cookbook immensely and I can’t wait to try more recipes! For those who are torn about agave, you can substitute a simple sugar syrup, palm sugar syrup, or maple syrup. For myself, I don’t worry too much as long as I have it in moderation. I have to admit, moderation becomes tough when her recipes are so tasty! Her blog is more accessible to multiple intolerances, as she has some gorgeous vegetable recipes that are gluten, dairy, and egg-free. I loved her savory dishes just as much as her sweet recipes, if not more, and I will be spending more quality time with her blog in the future. I’m so glad that I was inspired by Adopt a Gluten-free Blogger to get to know this quality Rock Star gluten-free blogger! And thank you, Elana, for sharing your unique culinary vision with your readers. You have opened my mind to new styles of baking and I have been inspired! I suspect we will see some original almond flour recipes at the Book of Yum here shortly.

Ellen of I am Gluten-free adopted Tia of Glugle Glugle Gluten-free and made her Banana Chocolate Muffins
Recipe:
Tia’s Gluten-free Banana Chocolate Muffins


Alta of Tasty Eats at Home adopted Carol at Simply…Gluten-Free and made her pistachio cookies.
Recipe:
Pistachio Cookies


Wendy of Celiacs in the House adopted Kim of Cook it Allergy Free and made her Pumpkin Ale Chili.
Recipe:
Pumpkin Ale Chili


Gina The Gluten-free Gourmand adopted Brian of Fire and Salt and made his Gluten-free French Bread.
Recipe:
Gluten-free French Bread

I adopted Thomas of the GFCF Experience and made his Apple Cake.
Recipe:
Gluten-free Casein-free Apple Cake Recipe

Noelle at NoelleLikesGoodFood adopted me at the Book of Yum and made Soccas South American Style.
Recipe:
Soccas South American Style


Rachel the Crispy Cook adopted Kristina of No Gluten Required and made a batch of her gluten-free spaetzle. Jah!
Recipe:
Gluten-free Spaetzle


Debi of Hunters Lyonesse adopted Iris of the Daily Dietribe and made Gluten-free Pancakes and Tomato Broth and Marinara Sauce.
Recipe:
Basic Gluten-Free Pancakes
Tomato Broth (Ramen Noodle Soup) and Marinara Sauce


Nicole of Gluten-free Guinea Pig adopted the Art of Gluten-free Baking and made her flaky pie crust and orange and poppy seed quick bread.
Recipe:
flaky pie crust
orange and poppy seed quick bread


mycatisgftoo of Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit adopted Cannelle-vanille and made Coconut Rice Pudding.
Recipe:
Coconut Rice Pudding


Gigi of Gluten-free Gigi adopted Real Substance and made her Chana Masala.
Recipe:
Chana Masala


Valerie of City Life Eats adopted Maggie from She Let them Eat Cake and made The Roasted Carrot Hummus and the Vanilla Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
Recipe:
The Roasted Carrot Hummus
Vanilla Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Thomas of the GFCF Experience adopted Alta from Tasty Eats at Home and made her Apple Coffee Cake.
Recipe:
Apple Coffee Cake Recipe

Shirley of Gluten-free Easily adopted Ricki of Diet Dessert N Dogs and made Ricki’s Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies and her Almost Instant “Tapioca” Chia Pudding.
Recipes:
Ricki’s Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies
Almost Instant “Tapioca” Chia Pudding


Cheryl adopted Ali and Tom of Whole Life Nutrition and made the Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes and Chocolate Macadamia Clusters.
Recipes:



Renee of Beyond Rice and Tofu adopted Jenn of the Whole Kitchen and made an impressive number of her recipes including Roasted Butternut and Red Pepper Soup, Pumpkin Spice Bars, A Potful of Beans, and Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. Wow!

Recipes:
Roasted Butternut and Red Pepper Soup
Pumpkin Spice Bars
A Potful of Beans
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Maggie of She Let them Eat Cake adopted Kelly from Spunky Coconut and made her Cashew Sour Cream, Egg-Free, Grain-Free Brownies, and her Egg-Free, Casein-Free Biscuits.
Recipes:
Cashew Sour Cream
Egg-free, grain-free Brownies
Casein-free Biscuits

Kathleen of I Made Toast adopted Ellen of I am Gluten-free and made her Chocolate Chip cookies into White Chocolate Almond Cookies.
Recipe:
Ellen’s gluten-free Chocolate Chip cookies

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And, in our first guest post adoption, here is Sally B.

I love reading the ‘adopt a gluten free blogs’. It has widened my gluten free horizon and led to so many interesting recipes. This month, my first attempt, I decided to adopt Lauren of Celiac Teen. I admire her experimentation and passion for tackling complex dishes with great success. I made two recipes from her blog this month – pumpkin pancakes and Brazilian cheese bread.

The pumpkin pancakes felt seasonally appropriate and I had an excess of puree hanging around. They were a great hit with all the family, light and fluffy as described. We had them with baked apple and cheese which complemented the spices of the pancakes. The only main change to the recipe I made was to use 2/3 cup of milk, as a previous comment on Lauren’s blog found the mixture too runny. I guess it might be related to how watery the pumpkin puree is? If I did it again I would probably try even less milk maybe 1/2 cup.

The Brazilian cheese bread has intrigued me for ages – I have had a printed out copy of Lauren’s recipe lurking around for ages. It is a traditional dish made only with tapioca. The recipe worked well and creating the dough on the stove reminded me of making profiteroles. The outer crust was deliciously crunchy. I found the inside nicely aerated but perhaps a little too gelatinous and chewy for my personal taste – almost similar to rice noodles. I wonder if the recipe would work using a mixture of grains and perhaps some whole grains although that would take it away from its traditional roots.

I would like to thank Lauren for the enthusiasm and excellent dishes.

-Sally B

Recipes:
pumpkin pancakes
Brazilian cheese bread

We would definitely make this recipe again, although we might experiment with a different gluten-free flour blend. And, we would use a less leak-happy pan to bake it in.

Thomas has many great recipes at his blog that I’d love to try:

Gluten Free Pierogi Recipe
Gluten-free Jewish Apple Cake
Gluten-free Lemon Lime Squares
Gluten-free Orange Poppy Seed Bread

If you haven’t visited his blog, I hope you will be inspired by this post to check him out. He has lots of yummy, gluten-free, Casein-free recipes to peruse, and is such a nice guy I know you’ll enjoy getting to know him.

*Whew* I finally fulfilled my adoption! Sorry it took so long, Thomas. On the up side, I am on the road to recovery and next month I might even be up for doing my own baking. Yay!