Whose got your Gluten-Free, Vegan Back Baby?

I knew it was a crazy idea because everyone knows you can't make crepes without eggs right?  Then I started thinking about all that gluten and stomach ache I was going to have even if I figured out a way to make them without chicken embryo gut bombs.  My thinking was, "they are going to be these carboard tasting, goey textured pancakes".  Which, let me add at this juncture...they WILL BE exactly that if you don't chill the dough AND if you fail to cook them long enough.

Typically crepes are made over moderately high heat (not screaming though) and they only cook a couple of minutes per side.  It doesn't matter whether you use a crepe maker or a saute pan (like I do...I don't need another electric gizmo to take up space in my kitchen), the traditional crepe cooks pretty darn fast.  But if you take note of the texture of the batter...especially right after it hits the hot skillet and you swirl it all out nice and thin, you'll notice that it LOOKS rubbery.  Now, if you know how to make them, they don't taste or feel rubbery but you can see the elasticity when they cook.  This of course if from the protein bonds in eggs and the flour. 

Gluten-free Vegan crepes will not have that.  They'll have a little bit of a protein bond from the interaction of the flour and the almond milk...but certainly not enough.  That's why I add a little xantham gum to my batter.  I tried it both ways...with and without.  The ones made without just fell apart.   The ones made with...looked and cooked up much like a traditional crepe with the exception of the cooking time.  Also, the batter doesn't "run" quite as easily when you swirl the pan.  You may need to give it a little help by filling in the gaps with a few drips of batter here and there.  As for cooking time...no less than 5-7 minutes per side, depending on how hot your pan is.  If you get it too hot, the crepes will burn on the outside before they are cooked through so take it easy on the heat.  I kept mine set at a steady medium...dead center of the button on my stove eye.  Match your skillet size to your burner size for even heat distribution and thus even cooking also. 

I know all this sounds like one gigantic pain in the butt...BUT...if you're already a gf and or vegan cook, you are well aware that experimenting is part of the process.  Some of them work...some don't.  This one works great.  As to the taste...they actually taste amazinly close to a regular crepe which totally blows my mind because the CEGB's make up most of the flavor component of regular crepes.  Or is it just a fried bread thing?? 

You can make these sweet or savory.  Reduce the amount of maple syrup in the batter for a savory crepe though.  In this recipe, I made them for dinner filled with mushrooms and shallots sauteed in white wine.  I hope you'll give them a try. 

Gluten-Free Vegan Crepes

•1 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend

•1 teaspoon xantham gum

•2 cups unsweetened almond or rice milk

•1/2 cup water

•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

•1/4 cup melted coconut oil

•2 tablespoons pure maple syrup - reduce to 2 teaspoons if making savory crepes

 

•Combine flour, xantham gum and kosher salt in medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix until no lumps remain. This process can also be done in the blender.

•Cover batter and chill for at least 2 hours. Note: Chilling is important and crepes may not turn out as well if batter is not chilled.

•To Fry: Heat an 8" non stick skillet over medium heat and brush with a small amount of coocnut oil. Test by dropping a few drops of batter into skillet. Batter should blister up right away.

•Mix batter well before adding to pan. It should be about the consistency of unbeaten heavy cream. Ladle into pan and immediately tilt pan to spread batter. Fill in any holes with a few drops of batter.

•Fry until browned and set before attempting to flip. Crepe will need to cook twice as long as a traditional crepe or inside will be doughy. About 6-7 minutes per side over medium heat.

•Transfer to a plate and continue making crepes until all batter has been used. Use filling of choice.

For a delicious and simple savory filling; saute four thinly sliced shallots in two tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in 1 1/2 pounds of sliced mixed mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are tender. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup white wine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make a slurry of 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder and 3 tablespoons of water or vegetable broth. Pour into mushroom mixture and stir until thickened. Use this mixture to fill crepes.

Make a simple sauce using 1 cup vegetable broth and 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk thickened with 1 tablespoon arrowroot. Bring this mixture to a boil; season with salt, pepper and herbs of choice. Serve over mushroom crepes. These are particularly good with a sprinkle of minced fresh Tarragon.

I placed my pan of finished crepes under the broiler with just a little of the sauce over them to crisp up the tops.  It made them look and taste yummy!

About to take a nice big yummy bite!

(c)copyright Jill Anderson

The Homegrown Gourmet

Gluten Free, Vegan Tropical Raw Fruit Pie

Since I needed to make this today anyway to get some pictures, I thought I'd go ahead and post it for everyone.  I've made this pie several times for cooking demos and everyone always begs for the recipe. Its so easy that its almost a non-recipe.  The key to this pie's success is the combination of flavors and chilling the finished dish long enough to be able to get it out of the tart pan. 

The inspiration for this dish actually comes from an old church supper favorite.  My grandmother made it and I'm sure many of your grandmothers made it as well.  It was a jell-o salad with crushed pineapple, bananas, marachino cherries, pecans and that dried artificial whipped cream stuff that you mixed with milk and vanilla.  There is a laundry list of things that were unhealthy about that dish but it actually tasted good.  So I got to thinking about what elements of the dish actually WERE good and came up with this raw tropical fruit pie.  Oddly enough, it absolutely does taste like the old church supper dish.  Its hard to believe that the entire thing is made of fruit and nuts (in various forms).

Anyway, give it a try and see what you think. 


The grainless date, nut pie crust can be made ahead, wrapped and stored until you are ready to use it.  The wrapped crust dough will keep for a week in the fridge.  Once it has been made into a pie, it is best used within 1-2 days.

Note:  I have used raw almond meal that I had left over from making almond milk.  I place it on a sheet pan and turn my oven on the lowest setting and dry the meal for several hours.  You need to stir it so that it dries completely.  If you don't have your own raw almond meal, Bob's Red Mill has it in 16oz. bags available at healthfood stores and some grocery stores.  However, that almond meal is not raw.

For the crust: 

12 fresh (not dried), pitted medjool dates

1/2 cup unsweetened freeze dried organic coconut flakes

1 cup raw almond meal 

2 tablespoons organic coconut flour

1/4 cup melted organic extra virgin coconut oil

pinch of kosher salt

Place the pitted dates in food processor along with coconut.  Pulse until dates are processed and mixture has formed a gooy ball.  Add almond meal, coconut flour and kosher salt to mixture.  Pulse until mixture is well blended and crumbly.  Drizzle in melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing for several seconds between addtions.  Mixture will still appear somewhat crumbly but will hold it's shape when pressed together.  Press crust mixture into bottom and up the sides of a removable bottom tart pan, chill.

Tropical Raw Fruit Pie

There are two items in this pie that are not raw and they are the coconut milk and the crushed pineapple.  I have tried several substitutions but find that even though its not raw, unsweetened full fat coconut milk produces the most satisfactory results.  As for the pineapple, you CAN use fresh pineapple that you have crushed in the food processor but it has to be squeezed as dry as possible and the pie needs to be eaten within a few hours of preparation.  The longer it sits, the fresh pineapple will begin to "weep" and make the pie soggy.

1 cup unsweetened freeze dried organic coconut flakes

1/2 cup full fat organic coconut milk, refrigerated

2 large bananas sliced 1/4" thick

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 pint fresh organic strawberries, sliced

1 can organic crushed pineapple in natural juices, drained and squeezed dry

1/2 cup chopped organic pecans

additional unsweetened flaked coconut to sprinkle on top

Keep pie crust refrigerated until ready to assemble pie.   Using a spoon, remove only the creamy top layer of coconut milk until you have half a cupful.  Combine coconut milk and flaked coconut in a small bowl.  Let stand for 15 minutes until coconut is hydrated and coconut milk is completely absorbed.  Spread this mixture in the bottom of prepared crust.  Slice bananas and place in a small bowl.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss gently.  Lay banana slices out evenly on top of coconut layer.  Spread sliced straweberries evenly over banana layer.  Evenly distribute crushed pineapple over the top of pie.  Sprinkle pecans and additonal coconut on the top to garnish.  Chill for at least 4 hours.  To remove sides of tart pan, run a small knife around the sides to loosen and gently push up on the removable bottom until side ring comes free.  The pie will slice when it is cold. 

Make some whipped coconut cream to top the pie.  Spoon off the remaining "cream" in the can of coconut milk.  Save the watery layer at the bottom of the can for another use.  Place the cold coconut cream in a metal bowl and stash in the freezer for 15 minutes.  Add 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and beat with electric mixer until soft peaks form.  Coconut whipped cream will not beat to stiff peaks.  You may sweeten with a few drops of stevia extract if desired but I find the unsweetened cream to be a better compliment to the pie.

Enjoy!

(c) copyright Jill Anderson

The Homegrown Gourmet

The Homegrown Gourmet Cooks For Everyone!

FINALLY...after a year and a half; the first cookbook is done and printed and ready to go! "The homegrown Gourmet Cooks for the Vegan" will be ready in about six weeks...just in time for Earth Day, 09 (May 2nd). Copies of "The Homegrown Gourmet Cooks for Everyone" will be available in Dr. Matt Herba's office at 158 Tuskawilla Road, Suite 1308, Winter Springs, FL 32708 or you can call and reserve a copy at 407-327-9000. I will be dropping off books there first thing in the morning (March 15th).

For the out of town friends; please contact me through my email jill@thehomegrowngourmet.com or you may call my cell. For those who need my cell phone number; drop me an email and I'll provide it for you in a more private forum.

The cost of the book is $15.99 plus shipping and handling ($3.99)

For Get Green Organics members; the cookbook will NOT be listed on the GGO website at this time. You will need to purchase directly from me. There WILL be a new book exclusively for GGO very shortly (within the next 6 weeks). The book will feature recipes created with foods available from the Co-op. You guys all know how wonderful our raw goat milk cheeses and Amish butter are so you can just imagine the YUMMY things that can be made from them! The book is due out by May 2nd as well and will be called, "The Get Green Organics Table" by S. Jill Anderson/The Homegrown Gourmet. That book WILL be available through the co-op order window.

I am very excited to finally be doing what I love to do! I hope everyone enjoys the recipes and gives me lots of feedback. If you have requests of old favorites that you would like adapted to a healthier way of cooking; please email them to me and I will see what I can do with them.

Please accept my apologies for letting the blog fall by the wayside for the last few weeks. It has been bedlam getting that book off the ground. Now it starts ALL OVER AGAIN! I look forward to some commentary and discussions from all my friends. You tell ME what you want to know about organic cooking and I'll do my best to help you out.

Until next time...have a healthy and happy week!

EARTH DAY.........May 2nd, 2009 @ Lake Eola Park, Orlando FL.
Taste of Oviedo..... ???????????? (the jury is still out on whether of not I'm going so I'll let you
know once I make a decision)

check out the latest article on http://www.ezine.com/ "The Incredible Hulk Smoothie"

Jill Anderson
The Homegrown Gourmet
Executive Chef, Get Green Organics

Thanks!

Hey, I'd just like to give a shout out to all my friends who have been reading my blog posts and emailing me! This is something I've always wanted to do and you guys are great. Please feel free to post your comments here so all the readers can enjoy them!

I have a couple of exciting events on the radar! This Friday, Feb. 27th, I'll be speaking and answering questions at the Winter Springs Rotary Club meeting! I am really looking forward to that.

Coming up in Mid-March, you'll be able to visit us at The Homegrown Gourmet's booth at the Winter Springs Mardi-Gras. I will post the exact dates when I get all the info. I will also be donating an appetizer to the dignitaries lounge....GOTTA LOVE THE ADVERTISING THERE!

I am considering doing a booth at the Taste of Oviedo in April but the jury is still out on that one.

It looks as though we didn't take enough of a beating at Central Florida Veg Fest back in October! We have decided to do a booth at the Orlando Earth Expo in April. It will be another joint effort between Get Green Organics Inc. (for which I am executive/consulting chef) and my own company, The Homegrown Gourmet! The rules are the same...all Vegan food. I've got a little time to work on a brand new Spring Menu for this festival. Turnout is expected to be around 20,000 (twice the amount of Veg Fest!). Yes...I know what I'm going to be asked...there WILL be The Homegrown Gourmet's now FAMOUS Vegan Cupcakes! I have a brand new one to introduce....Key Lime! Yes...we WILL have our equally famous "crack tea" (so named because people can't seem to stop drinking it!). I know we'll work our behinds off...as usual but it's all good! Hopefully, by then I WILL be bringing hard copies of my Vegan cookbook! "The Homegrown Gourmet Cooks For The Vegan"

Also on the radar screen is taping two podcasts tomorrow. I will post the URL and times when I get them! I'll be featuring one simple, quick and nutritious recipe in each podcast.

We DOOOOO have our sights on a local cable network cooking show! We've already been in contact with a producer (whom I have worked with in the past on other projects) and he feels it would be a huge success! Now I just need to find SPONSORS!

Right now, I'm a little crazy with plans and publishing and writing scripts for the new youtube series, which we SHOULD be filming next weekend...hopefully. I will need to film six episodes in two days so there is a lot of planning going into that. We are getting better at it though!

I have NOT forgotten about the new article on hydrogenated oils! My fingers are SMOKIN' right now because I have SO many things to type! Look for the new article either by the end of this week or beginning of next week.

Remember, there are several ways you can contact me and I love to get your questions and comments!

Use the blog!
Email me at jill@thehomegrowngourmet.com
Visit my website at www.thehomegrowngourmet.com
Contact me through www.getgreenorganics.com
Call me at 407-610-9513

Until next time....Health and Happiness to all!

Protein - From Fiction To Facts

Undeniably, protein is an important part of a healthy diet. Many Vegans and to some degree, Vegetarians worry about getting enough protein in their diets. This vital building block can be found in MANY food sources and many of those ARE plants. Do you really even know how much protein you SHOULD be eating?

Protein actually comprises about 16% of out total body-weight. Certain things like our hair and skin, muscle tissue (and connective tissue) are primarily made up of protein. It also plays a vital roll for our cells and bodily fluids. Even your DNA is partially protein. The same can be said for the enzymes, neurotransmitters and hormones.

Our bodies are pretty efficient at reusing or recycling protein but we use great quantities of it just to LIVE. Protein is made up of Amino Acids; sixteen of them to be exact. There are nine that our bodies cannot make so we have to get them elsewhere. Meat and animal by products (eggs, dairy, cheeses etc.) actually have all sixteen amino acids. But vegetables and plant bases food such as whole grains need to be eaten in combination to achieve "whole" or complete proteins.

If you eat the S.A.D (Standard American Diet) it is virtually impossible for you to be protein deficient unless you have an underlying medical condition. The dairy consumption ALONE would put most Americans at 2 or 3 times the necessary daily intake. Protein requirement is also dependent upon factors such as age, activity level and size. The RDA (recommended daily allowance) is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. That means that a person weighing 150 pounds should be consuming 55 grams of protein per day. This formula can be used to determine your requirement based on your own weight.

There are some situations in which we may require more protein added to our diets such as pregnancy and lactation. Growing children, the elderly, post-surgery or severe stress (trauma) often need additional protein.

As you can imagine, there are supplement manufacturers SALIVATING at the thought of all the people they can convince of the benefits of protein powders, bars, pills etc. There are so many people seeking convenience in their busy lives that these preparations seem to make sense. I suppose if the choice is a quick protein shake or skipping breakfast, the former is the better choice. It may be beneficial immediatly after a workout (one needs to actually SWEAT during this session) when the body will absorb and use the protein rapidly. Protein supplementation may be beneficial to Vegans and Vegetarians as well. However, if you pay careful attention to your vegetarian diet and include a wide variety of plant protein sources you can guard against muscle loss from lack of protein. Remember: the first "fuel" the body uses when it thinks it is being starved is muscle.

Now, if you should chose to supplement your diet with protein shakes, bars, powders or pills; you are faced with the daunting task of selecting from an overwhelming number of products. You could always ask your doctor; assuming he/she has any idea whatsoever about nutrition! You can also pop onto the internet and research some of the ingredients on the labels (which is what I do for just about everything). The most widely used source of protein used in mixes and powders is WHEY. You may also see RICE, SOY or PEA. A lot of mixes actually contain a combination of protein sources.

WHEY protein is derived from MILK. That lets it out for the Vegans! It is the most commonly used supplement. Whey protein is easily absorbed and used by the body. However, if you have lactose intolerance or dairy allergies these products are not for you. Read the label to see which type of whey you are getting. The concentrated whey is the most widely used and least expensive. It can have anywhere from 30 to 85 percent proteing. You can see that is a very wide range. A good rule of thumb when choosing a protein powder is, the less expensive it is, the lesser the amount of whey protein you may be getting. Whey Isolate is the other form and is higher in quality. Containing 90% protein, it is VERY easily absorbed by the body. It generally contains less fat and lactose as well.

Rice protein is a great choice for Vegans, Vegetarians and people with allergies because it is hypoallergenic. It is derived from brown rice and actually is a complete protein with all essential and nonessential amino acids.

Pea protein is an excellent choice for Vegans. I has no gluten, lactose, cholesterol or anti-nutritional by products. It is a highly soluble protein which makes it very easy to digest. Pea protein is vegetable based since it is derived from yellow split peas. This form of protein is also hypoallergenic. Not to get overly technical but analysis of this protein reveals a "high biological value" of 65.4% which indicates the amount of protein actually absorbed by the body. High bilogical value proteins are also excellent for nitrogen retention and immunilogical support.

Soy protein is made from Soy flour. Similar to whey in that it comes in two forms; concentrate and isolate, there are some noteable differences as well. Soy protein mimics estrogen. Three cancer studies have found "estrogen dependant tumor growth increased as the amount of soy isoflavonones increased." These studies were conducted by the National Institutes of Health. There are also studies published in 2000 by the American Association of Cancer Research which compare soy to whey. "Whey appears to be at least twice as effective as soy in reducing both tumor incidence and multiplicity." When taken with the fact that soy protein seems to disrupt thyroid function, these factors are scaring a lot of people off soy proteins. For good and valid reasons!

Whether you choose to get your protein from animal or plant-based sources there are many options available. Even though animal proteins are concidered to be of "higher biological value", plant protein sources CAN be combined to achieve the same standards as an animal-based diet. Personally, I recommend avoiding soy but you need to make that decision for yourself.