hummus platter and pancakes (not together)

it's been a while, but i've been saving a few recipes to post. but before i post a recipe, i just wanted to say how much i enjoyed Trader Joe's Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Pancakes. I made them last weekend for breakfast with a blackberry sauce that i threw together. Very tasty :)


for the sauce i simmered the blackberries, some agave nectar, and some arrowroot starch and then poured over the pancakes.

the other recipe i wanted to share is a rather simple one but one of our very favorites. i know everyone has a hummus recipe they love, but this one has proved to be our favorite and we make it about every week :) it's based on The New Best Recipe cookbook's one, but adjusted to our tastes.

Hummus:

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
pine nuts

Process all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth (about 40 seconds). Mix in some pine nuts to taste (we use a lot). If you can wait, transfer to a dish, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let the flavors settle and chill. Enjoy!

to make a meal out of it, i add spinach on top that i cooked quickly with salt and pepper (can do it in the microwave if you please) as well as grilled chicken. for the chicken:

i coated chicken breasts in olive oil, then sprinkled cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, and cayenne pepper onto both sides. i have a great grill that i use for chicken all the time (Cuisinart GR-2 Griddler Express Contact Grill). i threw them on there for a few minutes and then cut it up into pieces. layered the chicken on the hummus (you can sprinkle some paprika and olive oil on top of the hummus as well), then the spinach, and a few more pine nuts for garnish, and voila! a simple, but very tasty meal.

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Gluten Free Blueberry Pie (gf, dairy free, soy free)

i decided to experiment with a favorite of ours... blueberry pie. i love The New Best Recipe cookbook and have made their pie before, so i just decided to try it with another crust and to use agave instead of sugar...

so for a crust i used bette hagman's vinegar pie crust recipe and decided to experiment with coconut oil instead of butter. i'm still on the fence in terms of the results, but i'll post it anyways. my coconut oil goes between solid and liquid state often, so i decided to put it into the fridge to become the consistency of softened butter or shortening, so at least that went well. the finished result had a slight coconut flavor that was a little surprising, but i think i would still use it again... just less. or maybe a combo with another oil or something. i'm just not into the processed oils so i'm kind of out of luck... willing to take suggestions if anyone else has found something that worked! all in all though, it was a great crust, nice and flaky with a good consistency.

*update: You can also use my Apple Pie Crust which I love!




Blueberry Pie

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Sugar Free

Pie Crust:

1 cup white rice flour
¾ cup tapioca flour
¾ cup cornstarch
1 rounded tsp. xanthan gum
¾ tsp. salt
1 tbsp agave nectar or honey
¾ cup Organic Coconut Oil or Spectrum Naturals Organic All Vegetable Shortening
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. ice water

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cornstarch, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar. Blend in the coconut oil.

Blend together the beaten egg, vinegar, and cold water. Stir into the flour mixture until the pastry holds together and forms a ball. I found it needed a good amount of kneading in order to make it a good consistency for rolling.

Form two balls and place in a bowl; cover and refrigerate for ten minutes or so until cool if it has gotten too sticky. If you refrigerate it too long it becomes really hard.

Remove and roll one ball at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap that have been dusted with sweet rice flour.

To place in pie tin: Remove top sheet, and using the other for ease of handling, invert the dough and gently place it in the pan. Shape into curves before removing the second piece of plastic wrap.


Blueberry Pie Filling:
6 cups fresh blueberries (i used mostly fresh, but added some frozen as well)
3/4 cup Coconut Palm Sugar, honey, or maple syrup
2 tsp juice and 1 tsp grated zest from lemon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 tbsp tapioca or arrowroot starch
1 egg white, lightly beaten (for top of crust)

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
2. Toss the berries, agave, lemon juice, zest, spices, and potato starch and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Spoon berries into pie shell (first dough is already in there)
4. Place second dough over filling and trip edges. Tuck rim of dough underneath itself so that the edge is flush with the pan. Press with tines of a fork or flute the edge
5. Cut four slits in the dough tops
6. Brush top of crust with egg white
7. Lower temperature of the oven to 425 degrees
8. Bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes
9. Rotate the pie and reduce temperature to 375 degrees
10. Continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, around 30-35 minutes longer.
11. Transfer to wire rack and let cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.




This is being entered into the Friday Foodie Fix at The Whole Gang
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Apple Pancakes

i began making apple pancakes when i switched from white flour to whole wheat and decided that it was time to stop eating dairy, as i've been lactose intolerant since i was six. anyways, i bought the Vegan Handbook which is a fairly good cookbook at a booksale, and have made a good number of their recipes (and changed them around to my liking ;))

i've played with the recipe a lot since i first started making them, so here is my final (for now) gluten free version, but even that can be changed around a lot and i give alternatives. today was my first time using a GF blend to make them and i was really happy with the way they turned out, but feel free to leave any suggestions for other flour combos or additions!




APPLE PANCAKES

(makes 10 pancakes)


1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour **
1/2 Cup Sorghum Flour
1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour
1/2 tsp Xantham Gum
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
Dash Nutmeg
2 TBSP Organic Apple Sauce ***
3/4 Cup unsweetened almond milk (or soy milk or milk of your choice)
1 tsp Vanilla
2 green apples, cored and grated****


Mix the first eight ingredients together (dry ones).

Mix the Apple Sauce or juice of your choice (see note below) with the milk and vanilla.

Add wet ingredients to dry, then add the grated apples and stir gently until well blended.

Heat skillet/pan with oil of your choice (i've used earth balance, olive oil, or butter here)

For each pancake use about 3 TBSP of batter and flatten out some in pan.

Cook about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

To keep pancakes warm until serving, place on a platter covered with foil in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.

I usually eat these as is, but my husband likes them covered with maple syrup. They're also good with apple butter or apple sauce.

Enjoy!

** If you are non-GF, just take out the first 4 ingredients and use 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

*** I used unsweetened organic apple sauce today because i didn't have any juice, but the original recipe calls for 2 TBSP apple juice concentrate, thawed. I have never actually used that, but instead, have used about 1/3 cup mango juice, guava juice, or papaya juice (brazilian gourmet).

****prepare the apples to your liking-- i have grated them or chopped them finely or a combo of both

***** If you like them sweeter, you can add a TBSP or 2 of agave nectar or maple syrup in the batter

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