Category: breakfast

Sweet Potato Sausage Bake

So, I had a baby! I took almost a year off from updating my recipes, but I plan to start again although at what rate I don’t know.  Anyway, I have been working on finding recipes that don’t take a lot of time because who wants to spend forever in the kitchen when there’s a cute baby around?!  I used to do a lot of stove top meals, but I have recently found myself drawn to oven and crock pot recipes.  That way I can work on them at times that are more convenient.

I found this recipe the other day based on the ingredients I had on hand. It’s tasty and doesn’t have lots of ingredients.

3 medium sweet potatoes, diced into 3/4inch cubes

1medium onion, diced

1 pound ground sausage, pinched into 1 inch pieces

Few dashes salt

Few dashes garlic powder

Olive oil (maybe 1/4cup)

Lightly oil 9×13 glass casserole pan. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl to coat with olive oil. Spread in casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. The original recipe calls for this to be cooked in the crockpot, so that’s an option too.

 

Original Recipe:

https://blogbydonna.com/slow-cooker-sweet-potato-and-sausage-recipe/

 

 

 

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Coffee Crumb Cake

I barely got a picture of this before it was gone!  I was experimenting with a new idea and wasn’t sure if it would turn out or not.  Apparently it did :-).  There is a large amount of sugar and cinnamon in this recipe which makes it delicious, but I do recommend having many mouths to share it with!  I also recommend making it the day before you plan to serve it, and don’t rewarm it before serving it.  I took a bite while it was still warm and thought, “Meh”.  The next morning, however, was a different story.  It was moist and just right.  I took it to a Bible study and it was polished off.  Not only were people happy to eat it, but now I do not have leftovers begging me to overload on sugar!  I would say it’s a win-win. 🙂

 

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 c. coconut oil, melted

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 flax eggs OR 3 eggs (for 3 flax eggs, add 9 T. water to 3 T. golden flaxseed meal in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes)

2 tsp vanilla (I used Mexican vanilla)

1 c. brown rice flour*

3/4 c. potato starch*

1/2 c. tapioca starch*

1/2 tsp xanthan gum*

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. non-dairy milk (I used Silk Almond Milk- unsweetened this time)

 

Filling Ingredients:

3 T. butter, softened (I used EarthBalance Vegan Buttery Sticks)

1 T. cinnamon

1/2 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

 

Topping Ingredients:

5 T. butter, softened (I used EarthBalance Vegan Buttery Sticks)

3/4 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 T. cinnamon

 

Directions:

Cake: Set out butter so it can soften.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Make the flax eggs and set aside.  Cream melted coconut oil and granulated sugar in a large bowl.  Add in flax eggs (or regular eggs) and vanilla.  Stir well.  In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).  Add the milk and the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Pour half of the mixture into a greased 8×8 pan (pour in 2 cups and reserve 2 cups).

Filling:  In a small bowl, combine all filling ingredients.  I used a pastry cutter to mash the butter into it until it was all mixed and crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter in the pan, trying not to disturb the bottom layer.  Pour the rest of the batter (the remaining 2 cups) into the cake pan, but be gentle so you don’t disturb the filling layer.

Topping: In a small bowl (can be the same bowl used for the filling), combine the butter, brown rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Use the pastry cutter again to cut in the butter until it’s all mixed and crumbly.  Sprinkle the topping over the top of the cake.  Gently press down on the topping with flat hands to help it stick to the cake.

Bake for 50-60 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cake is done when a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean (it will probably have some cinnamon crumbles on it, but it shouldn’t have any wet batter on it).  I cooked mine for the full 60 minutes, but I was checking it every 5 minutes beginning at about 40 minutes.

I was nervous that the cake was going to spill over the edges of my pan, so I put a thin aluminum cookie sheet under it.  It turned out to be unnecessary, but if you think your dish is shallower than an 8×8 Pyrex, then you might want to do this.  Another option is to use a 9×9 pan so your cake has a little more room to grow.  If you do so, you may need to bake it for a little less time.

*If you want to make this so it has all-purpose flour instead of being gluten free, you should be able to replace the flours, starches, and xanthan gum with equal amounts of all-purpose flour.  I haven’t actually tried this, but normally these recipes have been converted from a flour recipe.  Let me know if you try it and what the results were!

 

Original recipes:

https://www.gogogogourmet.com/cinnamon-coffee-cake-with-streusel-crumb-topping/

http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/gluten-free-yellow-cake-recipe/

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins

These are mostly made of nuts and apples.  I found myself eating more of these than perhaps I would have if they were straight up flour, sugar, and such.  If you want something sweet but want it to be a little healthier, this is a good compromise.  They do have a little bit of a “healthy” taste because of the nut flour, but if you don’t mind that, they’re pretty good!

 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. almond meal/flour

1/2 c. quick oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF quick oats)

2 T. ground flax seed

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c. coconut oil

1/4 c. maple syrup (I recommend the real stuff!)

1/4 c. non-dairy milk

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 c. finely diced apple with skin on (about 2 small apples)

1/2 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped

Topping:

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

 

Directions:

Combine all of the dry ingredients (almond meal/flour, oats, flax seed, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Melt the coconut oil in a medium bowl.  Add the maple syrup, milk and vanilla and stir.  Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is combined.  Add in the apple chunks and the nuts and stir.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill to 3/4.  Put a little bit of the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of each one.  The original recipe calls for more, but it was way too much and didn’t soak in.  You may use more if you want.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.

 

Original recipe:

http://www.simple-veganista.com/2013/04/apple-cinnamon-muffinsgluten-free.html

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

This is my own original recipe.  It’s the perfect way to use up leftover pumpkin.  I hope these make you feel as warm and cozy as they make me feel!

 

Ingredients:

1 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. oat flour

1/4 c. sweet rice flour (or more brown rice if you can’t find this)

1/4 c. potato starch

1/4 c. teff flour

1/4 c. tapioca starch

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp salt

2 T. baking powder

2 1/2 T sugar

 

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 c. pumpkin puree

2 flax eggs (2 T. golden flaxseed meal mixed with 6 T. warm water and set aside)

1 3/4 c. coconut milk (from a carton)

1/4 c. oil

1/4 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)

 

Directions:

Stir together flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside.  Combine dry ingredients including spices.  Add in the wet ingredients including the flax eggs.  Stir to combine, then add in walnuts.  Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat.  Add pancake batter, leaving 2 inches between each one to allow for expansion.  When the edges are looking dry and the middle is bubbling a little and the bottom side is brown, flip pancakes.  Cook for another minute or two and then remove from pan.  If your batter is a little too firm, add coconut milk one Tablespoon at a time until desired thickness.  Serve with a pat of butter on top and a drizzle of maple syrup.

DIY Oatmeal Packets

What to eat for breakfast when camping?  This is an easy trick that helps you keep your pots and pans clean and is low stress but hearty and healthy.  It’s also lightweight if you are backpacking.  When you get to the campsite, all you need to do is boil water, pour your oatmeal packet into a bowl, pour water on top, stir it, and let it rest for a few minutes.

 

Ingredients per bag:

1/2 c. quick-cooking oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Oats)

1 T. dried coconut milk or dried milk- can be omitted

1 T. brown sugar (adjust as desired)

1/2 tsp maple sugar- can be replaced with brown sugar

1 tsp chia seeds

1/4 tsp salt

1 T. chopped walnuts or pecans

optional add-ins: raisins, sunflower seeds, craisins, almonds, etc.

 

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a ziploc bag.  Seal the bag and shake to combine ingredients.  To serve, boil water, pour oatmeal into a bowl, and pour water into the bowl and stir.  Allow to rest for 1-3 minutes or until it is cool enough to eat.

Gravy

My husband and I really enjoyed this gravy.  The biscuits we made were merely edible as we were missing an ingredient or two, so I am not including the recipe at this time.  The gravy, however, was, well, “good gravy!”  I am guessing it might work as the creamy base in a chicken pot pie or something like that but that theory has not yet been tested.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound ground sausage (Jimmy Dean or HEB brand work nicely)

2 T. bacon grease

1/2 tsp oregano

2 c. milk (I used unsweetened cashew milk.  I would NOT recommend coconut milk for this recipe.  Coconut gravy and sausage- ew!)

2 T. rice flour (I don’t remember if I used brown or white rice flour.  Oops!)

2 tsp potato starch

1 tsp tapioca starch

 

Directions:

Brown the sausage.  Don’t drain it unless it has tons of grease.  Mine didn’t have much grease left so I added bacon grease.  Turn the heat to medium high and add the grease and oregano and 1 1/2 cups of milk and stir.  Mix the flour and starches with 1/2  cup of the milk and stir until there are no lumps left.  Add it to the pan while stirring constantly.  Gravy will thicken as it cooks.  You may add milk if you want a thinner gravy.  Serve over biscuits or sliced bread.

 

Original recipe: Hagman, Bette.  “Biscuits and Gravy.”   The Gluten Free Gourmet Cooks Comfort Foods.   Henry Holt and Company.  2004.

Banana Nut Muffins- Gluten free and vegan

I recently went camping and bought 3 bunches of bananas.  Turns out bananas don’t travel that well, so I had a bunch of overripe, partially smashed bananas that I didn’t want to go to waste.  I have a friend from Africa who loves banana bread.  He rarely asks for anything, but after I gave him one muffin, he asked for another.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. oat flour

1/4 c. millet flour

1/4 c. tapioca starch

1/4 c. potato starch

1/8 c. amaranth flour

1/8 c. teff flour

 

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 overripe bananas

1 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. butter (I used SmartBalance), melted

2 eggs or 2 flax eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

 

Directions:

Stir together flours, starches, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda.  In a separate bowl, mash two of the bananas and cream together with the brown sugar mix with beaters for 2-3 minutes.   Add in the “butter” and “eggs” and vanilla extract and beat again with the mixer.  Gently stir in the flour mixture.  Mash the other two bananas, but leave them with bigger chunks.  Stir into batter along with walnuts.

Pour into 2 muffin tins lined with cupcake liners.  You don’t need to grease the liners.  Fill them halfway and then tap the tin on the counter to squeeze out air pockets.

Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees.  They should spring back when you touch the top without leaving an indentation or you can stick a toothpick in them to see if it comes out clean.

Makes 2 dozen.

 

Note:

If you want to make this with full gluten, replace all of the starches and flours with all-purpose flour and eliminate the xanthan gum.

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Original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/banana-nut-muffins-recipe.html

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

I bought a lot of bananas for a campout.  They didn’t travel very well and were desperately in need of being eaten when I arrived home.  I have been brainstorming ways to use them up and this is one of them.  Blueberries and bananas.  What could be better?! (Don’t answer that 🙂

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 very ripe bananas

1/4 c. frozen blueberries (I think a 1/2 cup might be better)

1/2 c. coconut milk from a carton

1/4 c. crushed ice

 

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Drink immediately.

 

Notes:

This was very good, but a little heavy on the banana.  I think the additional blueberries will balance out the banana taste.  We are going to experiment some more and let you know.

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Blueberry Donuts

I sang in the Easter choir this year at my church.  During one of the practices, someone brought blueberry donuts.  Oh how I love blueberry donuts!  Unfortunately, they were full of gluten, so I conjured up memories of their flavor for about a week.  I began wondering if I could make blueberry cake donuts that were gluten, dairy, and egg free.  This was the result.  One of the main tricks to keeping it yummy?  Don’t skimp on the sugar :-).

Ingredients:

1/2 c. coconut oil

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 flax eggs (3 T. golden flaxseed mixed with 9 T. water) or 3 regular eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 c. brown rice flour

3/4 c. potato starch

1/2 c. tapioca starch

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. non-dairy milk

1 c. blueberries, thawed

 

 

 

 

Directions:

Melt coconut oil and stir together with sugar in a large bowl.  Add “eggs” and vanilla and stir well.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients and the milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  I usually give it a quick mix with a mixer just to make sure all those gluten free ingredients are incorporated (about 1-2 minutes).  The last thing you want is a mouthful of unblended rice flour.

Put about 2 1/2 T. of batter into greased donut pan.  Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 13-15 minutes until donut springs back when you touch it.

Makes about 18.

You may top with glaze.

Adapted from: http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/gluten-free-yellow-cake-recipe/

 

Glaze Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 T. coconut milk

dash salt (about 1/4 tsp)

 

Combine sugar, vanilla and 1 1/2 T. coconut milk.  Stir until a paste begins to form.  Add the extra 1/2 T. of milk if it is too dry to be spreadable.  Add the dash of salt and combine well.  Taste and see if you want more salt.  Spread on tops of cooled donuts.

 

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Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

It is pretty hard to find protein in liquid form if you can’t eat dairy.  When I recently had oral surgery, I survived the first day on guacamole, soy yogurt, and applesauce.  I wanted to eat peanut butter but all I had on hand was chunky peanut butter.  A quick google search inspired this recipe.  The first time I made it, it was wonderful and I couldn’t wait to make it again.  The second time I made it, I added too much ice, so it was a little watery.  I plan to make it again soon and put even less ice in it!

 

Ingredients:

1/4 c. crunchy peanut butter (Skippy Natural)

3/4 c. crushed ice or 1 c. ice cubes

1 c. non-dairy milk (cashew milk was very nice)

1 banana, broken into 4 chunks

1 tsp to 1 T. honey

 

Directions:

Place all ingredients in the blender, starting with the milk.  Blend until smooth and all ice chunks are gone.  Pour into a glass and serve!  This made about 1.5 glasses of smoothie.

 

Adapted from original recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/221261/peanut-butter-banana-smoothie

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