I made one quiche with a vegan (dairy-free) sundried tomato pesto topping inspired by Vegan with a Vengeance, and then in case the nuts in the pesto made the quiche off limits for anyone, I also topped some of my quiche with simple but beautiful slow-roasted tomatoes and/or fresh cilantro leaves. The results were lovely, tasty, and allergen-friendly, and my friends with multiple intolerances seemed to thoroughly enjoy them. Trying to cook for these friends has really taught me a lot about creative baking with limited ingredients- and I enjoy the challenge as well as the results! Enjoy! And if you haven’t looked into joining a support group in your area- I highly recommend it.

Here’s one of the nut-free quiche, topped with lovely slow-roasted grape tomatoes, corn, and garnished with oregano.

Vegetarian Dairy free green chili quiche recipe Main Course  Corn  South American

Ingredients 1 onion, diced 2 tsp. olive oil Grits/ Polenta Base: 1 cup rice milk 1 to 2 cups water* 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal (I use arrowhead mills) 1/2 (7-ounce) can ORTEGAŽ Diced Green Chiles 6 ounces sweet corn 2 tbsp. fresh, chopped cilantro oregano, smoked paprika, epazote (optional) to taste 1/4 tsp salt (or less, to taste) Quiche Base: 4 eggs 1/2 cup rice milk 10 ounces sweet corn 1/2 (7-ounce) can Diced Green Chiles salt, to taste 1/4 teaspoon pepper oregano and any other herbs you like Toppings: A) Sundried Tomato Cilantro Pesto 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (either reconstituted dried or in oil, rinsed) 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup almonds no oil if using tomatoes in oil, otherwise small amounts to taste sprinkle of salt and pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro B) Slow Roasted baby tomatoes Large handful of small tomatoes olive oil 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro salt, pepper C) Fresh Cilantro in Olive oil Enough sprigs of cilantro to decorate 12 muffin size quiche olive oil salt, pepper Directions Prepare a muffin tin with (or without) liners, greasing with spectrum shortening or your favorite dairy-free margarine if you are not using liners. Sautee 1 diced onion in a nonstick pan in olive oil until translucent and remove from burner, reserving in two parts for base and quiche. Polenta Base: 1. Combine rice milk, water, cornmeal in a large saucepan and heat until you get a gentle boil. Lower temperature slightly if needed and keep stirring for 10 minutes or longer until you get a nice thick consistency. Add corn, half of your sauteed onions, and chilies and cook a few minutes longer. Season with herbs and seasonings and remove from burner. Fill prepared muffin tins 1/4 to 1/3 with polenta and let cool until firm. Quiche: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Puree eggs, 1 cup of corn, salt and pepper in a blender. Add remaining corn, chilies and sauteed onion to puree and mix well with a spoon. Season. Pour into muffin containers on top of the polenta base. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until center is almost set. Top with options a, b, or c and bake until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Topping Directions: A) Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Combine ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Spread on top of quiche when half baked and return to oven. OR B) Slow Roasted grape tomatoes, halved, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh cilantro and roasted for an hour or two on 325. Garnish quiche when half baked and return to oven. OR C) Fresh cilantro leaves, drizzled with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and let steep until oil is infused. Garnish quiche when half baked and return to oven. After done, cool COMPLETELY before removing from pan. Enjoy! Notes Made to accommodate complex allergies of friends at local GF potluck. *Polenta note: I used 2 cups water, but the polenta was softer than I would have liked. I would experiment and try this with 1 cup water instead and add more as needed.

Rating:  7 Original Source:  Contents of my brain, inspired by several recipes online and Vegan with a Vengeance pesto Recipe. Modified by me. Please do not replicate. Recipe ID:  1377 Added:  March 16, 2009 Last Modified:  March 17, 2009

This week’s gluten-free, soy-free challenge is the CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE. One unexpected problem arises when you try to do soy-free and dairy-free baking, especially cookie recipes. Many cookies call for either butter or margarine. Butter contains dairy (although it is low in lactose), and most, if not all margarines contain soy. What to do? You can try to replace the fat with a combination of applesauce and olive or canola oil, but I’ve had mixed success with cooking oil substitutions. Vegetable oil or blends often contain soy ingredients, complicating the issue. However, Alton Brown showed us that shortening makes a perfectly delicious puffy cookie. Why?

“Shortening melts at a higher temperature than butter so it remains solid longer giving the batter time to rise and set before it spreads. Hah. Increasing the ratio of brown to white sugar also creates a more tender cookie.” (Transcript of Alton’s Cookie episode)

When I had to make an allergen-free cookie, I started looking for a good gluten-free cookie recipe using shortening. I like Spectrum Natural’s Organic Shortening without any trans fats and no soy oil. I recently bought Annalise Roberts’ book Gluten-Free Baking Classicsand found her recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies using shortening. This recipe was also published in Gourmet magazine, so you can see it too! I used Ener-g Foods egg replacer for the eggs to make it egg free. For those who are severely allergic to soy and can’t even have soy lecithin, Enjoy Life chocolate chips is the perfect (if rather pricey) solution that always wins raves. I shared my GF SF (and EF,DF) cookies with my Celiac SF Bay support group (many of whom have multiple allergies) and they were very popular. My non-GF DH also enjoyed them, although he prefers those made with butter or margarine. I froze the dough in logs at least one day before baking them because I find that the texture improves and they spread out less, although this isn’t so much of a problem with a cookie made with shortening. I then cut them into rounds, toss them in the oven, and have some delicious cookies. This is a good way to prevent an attack of the cookie monster… I have a pretty unlimited hunger for cookies and DH and I WILL eat way more than is good for us if they’re baked and looking all enticing on the counter. One other plus? An egg-free cookie dough tastes darned good even uncooked, and can be used for a homemade gluten-free cookie-dough ice cream. Mmmmm… Just sub in an alternative milk if dairy is an issue. :)

Looking for a pre-made frozen GF cookie dough or GF cookie tips? Read this post!

Here’s a list of my favorite gluten-free, soy-free BAKING INGREDIENTS:

Spectrum Organic Shortening is relatively easy to find in health food stores, and is trans fat free as well as dairy and soy free. It’s an excellent ingredient for baking and has a pleasant, if rather bland flavor. Make sure to boost flavor elements of your recipe, and you may also find it helpful to add high protein ingredients (almond meal, bean flour, or yogurt if not dairy-free) to your recipe to improve texture of final product.

Pam’s for Grilling seems to be the only non-stick cooking spray without that ol’ popular soy lecithin. Make sure to check the label before you buy as the formula could change at any time. I like to use nonstick cooking spray for grilling (especially this variety) and also for bread pans. I usually spray the pan and then dust it with flour or cornmeal before adding the dough and letting the bread rise. DO NOT use this kind of spray on nonstick cooking surfaces like fry pans, as it will ruin your finish. Trusts me on this one.

Mother’s Margarine is actually dairy AND soy-free. The catch? It seems to only be available during Passover. Doh. I suppose you could order it in bulk and then stock up in season… Here’s a detailed article on this margarine. Apparently there was a Passover Margarine Shortage in 2008, and there are rumors that Mother’s Margarine may have discontinued their product. Please share any links you have if you have more information on this…

Coconut oil is another interesting dairy-free, soy-free oil for baking. I haven’t been entirely satisfied with my experiments so far, but I think that this oil is promising and I know many gluten-free bakers who use it successfully. Here’s an intriguing recipe for gluten-free, soy free brownies using coconut oil.

These dairy, soy, and gluten-free chocolate chips have become legendary at our Celiac support group meetings. Turns out soy doesn’t really add anything in terms of FLAVOR to chocolate chips, and these little chocolate chips are delicious for snacking as well as in chocolate chip cookies. Unfortunately they are a little pricey. Sigh. I usually buy them at Whole Foods, but you can also buy them online at Allergy Grocery. If you find the price of these chips prohibitive, you can also find chocolate chips for Passover that are both dairy and soy-free.

When I made my recent gluten-free, soy-free eclairs for a friend, I was having trouble getting a nice glaze from the Enjoy Life chocolate chips, so I added some Bakers Unsweetened Baking Chocolate which is ONLY chocolate and contains no soy (or dairy, for that matter). It did help the recipe. This isn’t a good snacking chocolate, but it can be used for chocolate sauces.

Breads from Anna are popular gluten-free, soy-free (DF, EF etc) bread mixes that I haven’t had a chance to try yet…

Namaste Foods is another popular gluten-free mix company with products that are also free of soy, corn, potato, dairy, and nuts. Once you pick your favorites, you can get a good price online through Amazon (below).

Share any GF cookie baking tips OR your favorite soy-free products in the comments!

Coming Soon Gluten-Free, Soy-Free Living Challenge #2 Chinese Stir Fries without SOY SAUCE but with LOTS OF FLAVOR!

For now, check out Soy-free recipes at the Book of Yum
Cool gluten-free, soy-free (and other allergen-free ) recipes at Elanas Pantry
Soy-free recipes at Gluten-Free Goodness
and
Recipes at the Gluten-Free Soy-Free Vegan
Soy-Free Gluten-Free recipes at Cindalous Kitchen Blues*note margarine, and substitute accordingly

Have any other favorite gluten-free, soy-free blogs? Tell me and I’ll add them to the list!

*Don’t forget to Adopt-a-gluten-free-blogger! Deadline: Sep 8!

I loved all the savory dishes, but dessert time was especially fun, as we had all sorts of exotic fare from gluten-free cream puffs to allergy-free (egg-free, bean-free, soy-free, dairy-free etc) chocolate wacky cake and an absolutely divine allergy-free brandied apple cake. I was ecstatic over the cream puffs, as I’d only had them once before (in my life!) and I wasn’t the only one. I think everyone enjoyed them. The only problem with fluffy bread bits filled with ooey, gooey custard filling and topped with luscious chocolate frosting? You end up wearing as much filling and frosting as you ate- or maybe that’s just me. You can see the big ol’ mess I made on the left. But the recipe, the recipe was divine, and I was so thrilled that one of our members went to all the trouble to make them. Hurrah for ambitious gluten-free bakers! The recipe was based on Melonie Katz’ recipe for cream puffs from the SillyYaks message board through Yahoo, and then variations of filling recipes found online. I’m eager to make them myself. I will be contacting Melonie to see if she’ll let me share them with you on here. I’ll test the recipe with my own luxurious filling, and hopefully you’ll be seeing my version at the Book of Yum soon. In the meantime, feast your eyes on them above.

But I also really appreciated the allergy-friendly recipe for brandied apple cake that our master bakers, V and H, brought to the party. This allergen-free (but not taste-free) cake was gobbled up by those with special allergies as well as by the simply gluten-free folks. As one of our party commented “I think I like cakes with brandy.” Me too! This is my version of V and H’s excellent recipe. I would like to do some experiments in the future- maybe add a little more liquid ingredients (one half cup applesauce?) in addition to my dry brandied apples. Also a teaspoon or two of xanthan gum might make it less crumbly. Quinoa adds its own stamp to this cake, but you could also try it without for a lighter flavor. I have to admit, the powdered sugar V and H added really took it to a whole new level. Too bad we didn’t have any powdered sugar in the house… but that shouldn’t stop you from adding some. Trust me, it’s worth the sugar guilt. I would strongly recommend you visit V and H’s GF Recipe Web Page to check out their tasty recipes- there are tons of yummy gems in there, including their Simply Amazing Easy Cranberry Pie Recipe that I blogged about in October.

Isn’t it wonderful having gluten-free friends with such great kitchen voodoo? :) The meals I enjoy at these support group potlucks are always worlds better than most restaurant offerings- and certainly there’s way more variety and imagination present! If you haven’t tried joining a gluten-free support group, why not look into it? You may find, as I did, that there’s a whole community right outside your door that can understand better than anyone else the joys of GF online shopping, the best and worst of the latest gluten free products, and the highs and lows of the gluten-free lifestyle.

Vegan Brandied Apple Spice Cake Recipe Dessert  Alternative Grains  European

Ingredients 1 cup brown rice flour 1/2 cup tapioca starch 1/4 cup sweet rice flour 1/4 cup quinoa flour (or teff) 1 generous tsp. baking soda 1 generous tsp. baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1/2 cup vegan margarine like Earth Balance 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 cup brandied apples- recipe below (may substitute applesauce but the texture will be different) 1 cup raisins Directions Prepare 8*8 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or by greasing with vegan margarine. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flours and baking powder and baking soda with spices in a medium size bowl. Cream margarine and brown sugar together in a mixer and then add flour mixture, brandied apples, and raisins to the bowl. Turn the mixer on and let the apples get chopped up a bit by the mixer. Place the (stiff) batter in your baking tin and bake in your pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve. (I was out so left it off.) How to make 1 1/2 cup brandied apples: 5 medium (green?) apples, peeled and thinly sliced several healthy slugs of brandy generous sprinkles of ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tsp high quality vanilla plenty of brown sugar Add your apple slices to a cast iron pan and heat, mixing slugs of brandy, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and a healthy layer of brown sugar. When the apple slices brown you can turn them over and if you like, add more brandy and brown sugar. Cook until the apples are tender, and remove from stove. Place in glass jar, cool, and reserve (or use right away in a recipe). There may be more than 1 1/2 cups apple slices after cooking- don’t worry, just use them in another recipe, like on ice cream or in a mini tart. (mmm, mini tart.) Notes My version of this recipe is tasty but not especially moist. (Although in a way that makes it tasty- like a bar cookie!) Next time I might try: an extra 1/4 or 1/2 cup applesauce (or yogurt if dairy or soy is not an issue) 1 or 2 tsp xanthan gum

Rating:  7 Original Source:  My Variation of Vic and Hallie’s Recipe- my own original flour blend, my proportions of apples, and take on seasonings. Recipe ID:  1269 Added:  August 7, 2008 Last Modified:  August 7, 2008

Sweet Lime Soda Sauces & Condiments  Vegetables  Indian

Ingredients 1 1⁄2 tbsp. or more freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tbsp. or more simple syrup (equal amounts of sugar and water, boiled together and let cool) 3⁄4 cup soda water Lime slice Directions Put your lime juice and soda water in a tall, clear glass. Add simple syrup, mix, and taste. Add more simple syrup to taste. Garnish with a lime. Enjoy! If you like you can add ice, but we were generally skeptical of the water used for ice in India so enjoyed ours at room temperature or cooled, if the soda water had been refrigerated.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Adapted from Saveur magazine but modified by our observation in India. Recipe ID:  1169 Added:  January 4, 2008 Last Modified:  January 4, 2008