Since we were talking soup today, I wanted to share a BRAND NEW soup recipe I developed for you. After making my un-panko roasted squash slices, I had extra squash that i drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roasted in the oven on 425 until soft. We ate some plain, but one evening as I was debating what to make for dinner, I saw that squash and thought a warm fall soup would be delightful, especially with the homemade vegan and gluten-free rosemary thyme rolls I’d made that morning. (Recipe coming soon!) The resulting soup was delicious. I used celery from our garden, organic onions and carrots as the base, and then I added roasted chestnuts and pine nuts for extra protein. The poultry seasoning added the perfect dusty herbal note, and herbamare makes everything taste better. Everybody liked it except for Toddler Yum, who is suspicious of anything that is orange (except for oranges, which she will inhale like candy). My dairy-free, soy-free Mom loved it. You know some things that are mysteries to me? Why is it that so many companies add flour to their soups for thickening when they don’t really need to have it? And further, why is it that most of the boxed gluten-free soups taste terrible, but that homemade soups are awesome even when they have similar ingredients? One of the few packaged soups I like is the Kettle Cuisine vegetarian soups (review coming soon) which was sent to me for trial and review some time back. Do you have a favorite pre-made soup or a favorite homemade soup recipes? Do you usually serve soup for your Thanksgiving dinner? Share in the comments!

More delicious soup recipes:
Curried Acorn Squash Sweet Potato Apple Soup
Farm Fresh Salad Soup Recipe
Potato Zucchini Soup Recipe
Snowdrops and Baked Potato Soup
Eat the Rainbow Black Bean Soup
Roasted Parsnip Garlic Soup with Mushrooms
Artichoke Soup
Double Mushroom Soup Recipe

This recipe was shared with Wellness Weekend and Sugar Free Sunday.

Nutty Vegan Sage Pumpkin Chestnut Soup Recipe Soup  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small to medium onion, diced 1 stalk of celery (or 2 of skinny homegrown celery), diced 2 medium carrots, diced florets from 1/2 head of cauliflower, separated from the stalk 1 bag of prepared chestnuts or 15 cooked chestnuts, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup pine nuts OR raw whole cashews soaked in water for at least half an hour 1 1/2 roasted winter squash removed from skin 3 tsp GF vegetable bouillon powder 3 cups water 1 tsp. poultry seasoning 1/2 to 1 tsp herbamare seasoning salt 2 cups of water small bunch of fresh sage Directions Heat your olive oil on medium high in a large pot. A dutch oven would be great for this recipe, but you can do it in any large pot. Add your diced onion and saute until softened. Add your diced celery and carrots and saute until carrots soften slightly. Add your cauliflower florets and let them cook until they soften. Throw in your chopped chestnuts and heat through. Throw your chopped chestnuts into the pot with the onions, celery, and carrots. Heat through and then add your roasted winter squash to the pot. Heat and add your vegetable bouillon powder dissolved in three cups of water. Add your vegetable broth to the pot. Drain your pine nuts and process them in a food processor or blender with a little water until you have a smooth, thick sauce. add half of your pine nut or cashew puree to the pot and reserve the rest. Add your poultry seasoning. Use an immersion blender to puree your veggies in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can use your food processor or blender. Add two cups of additional water as needed. Top with fresh sage. If you like you can puree some sage into the soup too. To serve, add extra water to the remaining pine nut or cashew puree to make it the consistency of heavy cream. Pour your soup into individual bowls and swirl your pine nut or cashew cream into the soup decoratively.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1579 Added:  November 18, 2011 Last Modified:  November 18, 2011

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

For the classic Book of Yum Thanksgiving recipe of the day, I thought I’d share one of my favorite, most reliable recipes for a gluten-free roll. I think the herbs in this recipe would go beautifully with a baked apple. To make it dairy-free, simply replace the cow’s milk with a dairy-free milk like soy, almond, or hemp. I haven’t tried making this recipe vegan yet, but I would probably try to use flax eggs, as the Ener-g Egg Replacer “eggs” tend to work best in recipes with two or fewer eggs. If you want a vegan roll, try my Vegan Sorghum Onion Rolls, which happens to be the image pictured on our event banner on the left. You can switch out the seasonings if you like to a salted rosemary topping. Gosh that sounds good.

Join us tomorrow for a delicious Vegetarian Nut Roast from Kalinda of Wheat-Free Meat-Free. Kalinda is also hosting this month’s edition of Adopt a Gluten-free Blogger, and I hope you will sign up to adopt a gluten-free blogger at her site!

Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoy the recipes!

Adeenas Gluten-Free Hearty Rosemary-Thyme Dinner Roll Recipe Bread  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 3 eggs – use Extra Large! 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups milk 1 tsp. salt 1 TBSP xanthan gum 1/3 cup potato starch (NOT flour) 1 cup white rice flour 1 cup brown rice flour 1 cup tapioca starch 1/3 c. GF teff or buckwheat flour (M’s modification) 1 TBSP active dry yeast 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar For rosemary thyme variation, mix chopped fresh thyme and rosemary, and dried onion flakes with a dash of olive oil and reserve. If desired, minced sundried tomatoes, to taste Garnish: More fresh, chopped rosemary (or dried), fresh thyme, chopped, black or kosher/gourmet salt (large crystals are key), dried onion flakes, and anything else you feel like. Directions Preheat Oven to 380 degrees.* Note: I actually started these at a higher temperature, more like 450, and then turned the temperature down, in the attempt to get a crunchier crust. Try experimenting with the temperature and see what you like. I’ll be trying different things the next time I make this recipe. :) Beat eggs in heavy duty mixer and then add oil, vinegar, and sugar, combining. Add dry ingredients. Warm milk in the microwave (or on the stove) and add to the bowl, gently folding it into the flour. Add your rosemary thyme mix. Turn on motor, let ingredients combine thoroughly then turn power to medium and leave for 4 minutes while it stirs. If you want sun dried tomatoes, add for the last minute or so of mixing. Spray baking pan (cookie sheet type) with nonstick cooking spray and/or line with parchment paper. Flour your hands with gluten free rice flour and grab a ball of dough from the mixing bowl. Gently shape it into a roll. Place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Make another roll, continuing until all dough has been used for rolls. (This part is fun!) Brush with whisked egg. Sprinkle with garnish (fresh herbs, salt, onion), poppy seeds or sesame seeds if desired. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled.(*edited) Five minutes before you put the rolls in the oven, put ice cubes (in a pan) in the bottom rack of your oven and let them evaporate into steam. Open oven, put in your rack of rolls and let bake for 20-25 minutes. (Halfway through baking time, you may wish to turn over your rolls for even browning.) Alternatively, place a pan w/ 1/4 to 1/2 inch of boiling water on the lowest rack in the oven 5 minutes before you put the bread in and leave in there until bread is done. These two baking methods should result in a crunchier outer crust.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  SillyYaks message board, reprinted with permission from Adeena. Thank you Adeena. Some modifications by me. Please do not replicate without my (actually, her) permission Recipe ID:  1189 Added:  January 29, 2008 Last Modified:  July 6, 2008

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

Toddler Yum and I worked together to make her costume for Halloween this year, and it was twice as fun. Last Halloween I had pneumonia so we didn’t do much at all. We made up for it this year by attending a Halloween pumpkin carving party, going out for drinks with our friends in our own costumes, taking Toddler Yum to Great America for their halloween event, taking Toddler Yum to a downtown trick-or-treating, and then taking her trick-or-treating in our neighborhood, all in one weekend. It was a little crazy, but watching Toddler Yum enjoy herself made it one of the best holidays in memory. I hope your holiday was just as fun and full of delight.

We never did get around to sharing the homemade butterfingers with Toddler Yum. Instead I made almond flour holiday cookies from Elana Amsterdam’s The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook in a Halloween cookie tin. Who needs packaged candy?

What are your Halloween traditions, and did you have a costume this year? Share in the comments!

Here are the ingredients for your average Butterfinger:
SUGAR, GLUCOSE, PEANUTS, HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, COCOA POWDER, MODIFIED MILK INGREDIENTS, MOLASSES, CORN FLAKES, SALT, SOYA LECITHIN, CORN STARCH, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOUR, TBHQ, CITRIC ACID, COLOUR.

Actually, I’ve read worse, but it just doesn’t sound very good or good for you. And how about that TBHQ? Yum!
So I decided it was time to re-think the Butterfinger. At its most basic, this bar is all about the sweet, sweet peanut filling, crispy corn flakes and chocolate shell. One peanut treat that we love and often eat in our house is the peanut butter lara bar, which is simply peanuts, dates, and a little salt. So I thought, why not make a homemade Lara Bar, give it a corn flake center for crunch, and dip or drizzle it in chocolate?

So that is exactly what I did.

How to make Gluten-free Dairy-free and Soy-free Homemade Butterfingers:

You’ve seen the toddler-friendly version at the top of the post, pictured with Toddler Yum’s Jack O’Lantern. Here is the sexy adult version, which I took to a pumpkin carving party.

It might be me, but I think it looks (and tastes) better than the packaged version! The Erewhon Corn Flakeswere perfect for this because the only ingredients were corn and a little salt. They were a tad plain all by themselves, but in a recipe like this where they are surrounded by healthy sweet ingredients, they are perfect! I’d buy them again, just for this recipe or to use in a savory breading recipe. This recipe was awesome, though, and I love how easy it is to adapt to various food sensitivities. If you need dairy-free but Soy Lecithin is ok and trace amounts of milk are ok, try the Trader Joe chocolate chips, which I used this time. If you need completely dairy-free and soy-free, use the Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips for your coating. If you prefer a really dark (70% cacao) type chocolate, use that. Want it strictly vegan with vegan sugar? Use a vegan chocolate bar. I think it will be delicious every way! Do store it in the refrigerator before eating, though, as the chocolates without soy lecithin are delicate and the bar will stay solid and easy to eat that way.

Here’s some fun pics from the Halloween party…

It was Toddler yum’s first experience carving a pumpkin, or rather, scooping out the pumpkin. Daddy helped, and gave the pumpkin little vampire teeth. Toddler Yum loved it, and even said “Vampire! vampire!” Oh dear, the things they pick up. And yes, there were other people at this party, including a wonderful gluten-free hostess that you might know from her blog that made wonderful sweet potato corn chowder and homemade mounds bars (yum!) I’m so lucky to know many of the gluten-free chefs around, and to be able to welcome this new gluten-free friend to our neighborhood.

Happy Halloween! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family, with plenty of treats that work for everybody’s tummy.

Looking for more gluten-free homemade treats?
Sunflower-seed Un-peanut Butter Cups
Elana’s Pantry Healthy Halloween Candy Recipes
Homemade Gluten-free Twix Bar Recipe
Nutty Vegan Butter Easter Candy
Ali’s homemade maple-sunbutter candor (like tootsie rolls)
Ali’s Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters
Nourishing Gourmet’s Healthier Candy Recipes
Kelly’s Raw Chocolate Raspberry Candy- refined sugar and other allergens free
Elana’s Peppermint Patties sweetened with Agave

Share your favorite gluten-free candy recipes in the links and I’ll add them to the list!

PS I was so excited about this candy recipe I decided to postpone the conclusion to pumpkin week until at least Monday… Sorry guys, but I wanted to make sure people had this recipe in time for the holidays!

Shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Made from Scratch Tuesday

Healthy Dairy-free Soy-free Butterfinger Recipe Dessert  American

Ingredients Layer 1: 1 scant cup pitted Medjool dates (or regular) 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts 2 tbsp. smooth natural peanut butter 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional) Layer 2: 1 scant cup pitted Medjool dates (or regular) 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts (can substitute almonds) 2 tbsp. smooth natural peanut butter 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional) enough Erewhon plain corn flakes to cover surface area of a quart bag Additional smooth natural peanut butter (optional) 1/2 to 3/4 lb of soy-free semi-sweet or dark chocolate for melting 1-2 tsp. coconut oil as needed Directions Get out two freezer-safe quart bags and reserve. Layer One: Put your scant cup of PITTED dates in your food processor and process until you have a smooth paste. Add your peanuts and process until mixture comes together when you press it but there are still chunks of peanut left. Add peanut butter, salt and optional nutmeg and pulse them in until mixed throughout. Remove from food processor with a spatula and put in one quart bag, pressing the air out and sealing it. Then flatten the mixture in your bag until you have a flat sheet of peanut dough. Place in refrigerator on an even, flat surface and chill. Layer Two: Repeat with the second batch of PITTED dates and peanuts. You will fill your second quart sized freezer bag. Chill along with the other layer for 30 minutes or so. Just before you are ready to take the peanut dough out of the refrigerator, put your semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on half power in 30 second intervals, checking after each interval and stirring as needed. When chocolate is almost completely melted, stir until chocolate is smooth and reserve. I found I needed to add coconut oil to have a thin enough chocolate for dipping. Just add your oil and stir in gently. To prepare peanut bar for dipping, cut sides of freezer bags and peel off the top of the bag on layer one. sprinkle layer one with plain corn flakes. Peel the top of the bag from layer two and careful invert it on top of the corn flakes so you have a peanut bar “sandwich” with corn flakes as the filling. Gently press the layers together, remove the final layer of plastic on top and then cut the peanut bar “sandwich” in 7 logs horizontally and then cut half down the center vertically. If you are preparing this for a toddler, you can make two more vertical cuts for mini butterfinger bites. Prepare a large cookie baking sheet with a layer of wax paper and place a cooling rack on top. Place each bar on the cooling rack with space around each bar so that you can drizzle chocolate down the sides. Prepare each bar by putting a generous dab of peanut butter between the layers to stick them together OR a dab of melted chocolate and pressing then firmly together on the top. Don’t worry if they don’t seem very firmly attached. Once they cool they will firm up and stick together. For adults who like a fair amount of chocolate, you can drizzle chocolate over the top and sides of the bar, using a knife to evenly distribute it. For toddlers, kids, or healthy-minded adults you can drizzle strands of chocolate on the top for a little taste of chocolate. Place the tray in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes to an hour, or until chocolate has set. Remove bars from tray with a metal spatula and put in a tupperware. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Notes Got rave reviews from adults who couldn’t believe how such natural ingredients could taste like the real thing and have the real mouth feel. :D I raved, too.

Additional Pictures

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, please do not replicate without permission. Recipe ID:  1574 Added:  October 28, 2011 Last Modified:  October 29, 2011

I have adapted it to be gluten-free and a bit more savory from a rather dated and, I’m sorry to say, out of print edition ofThe Great American Tofu Cookbook that promises to teach the reader to use “the Orient’s Amazing Protein Food in America’s Favorite Dishes.” Oh dear. However dated the tagline, the author has some very creative ideas about using tofu, and we’ve enjoyed several recipes from the book including Tofu Strips with spicy peanut sauce and a rather stellar Tofu with Mushrooms in White Wine Sauce. What can I say, we like our tofu. And I hope you will enjoy this recipe too, brought to you with love from all of us at the Book of Yum. Happy Valentines Day! It is perfect for a night of spaghetti love. Re-enactment of a gluten-free vegetarian version of a certain “Lady and the Tramp” scene, anyone? If you have any leftovers, you can serve it on gluten-free french bread in a subway sandwich. Delightful! What is your favorite vegetarian main dish for Valentines Day, or other romantic holidays?

By the way, the tofu meatballs are pictured on Mrs. Leeper’s Organic Corn Spaghetti, a favorite with our whole family.

Entered in Diane’s Real Food Weekly Event and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Tofu Ganmo Ball Recipe Main Course  Tofu  American

Ingredients 2 lbs firm tofu, drained 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 whole green onions, sliced 1 tsp fennel seeds 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1 1/4 tsp salt generous amounts of freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese (optional) 1 egg, beaten 3/4 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, made in a food processor 1 1/2 tsp italian seasonings 1/4 tsp smoked paprika more freshly ground pepper 2 or 3 tbsp. olive oil pasta sauce A few large mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional) fresh basil for serving additional grated parmesan or romano (or dairy-free cheese) for pasta Directions Slice tofu horizontally and wrap in kitchen towels and put a cutting board on top of the wrapped tofu. Put something on top of the cutting board, like a pot, for additional weight. Leave it to drain for 20 minutes. Then wrap it in a clean thin cotton dishtowel, knead it and squeeze as much water out of it as possible. Knead the tofu in a large bowl for five minutes and then add the garlic, green onions, fennel seeds, parsley, salt, pepper, and cheese. Knead it for another few minutes. Whisk the egg and work it into the tofu dough. Combine the ground bread crumbs, spices and pepper in a large flat bowl or pie pan. Make small, walnut-sized balls out of the tofu dough and roll each ball in the dough. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan or well-seasoned cast-iron pan on medium and fry your tofu ganmo meatballs on each side until golden brown. I like to freeze half the recipe and save it for another time. Then simmer in pasta sauce for an hour or more so it absorbs the flavors. If you like you can add thinly sliced fresh mushrooms to the pasta sauce and let them simmer along with the tofu meatballs. Serve on gluten-free french bread with fresh basil leaves or on gluten-free spaghetti, sprinkled with additional grated cheese and julienned basil.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  adapted from the Great American Tofu Cookbook Recipe ID:  1541 Added:  February 8, 2011 Last Modified:  February 12, 2011