Yummiest Pretzel Bites {Gluten free baking}

Well, hail the conquering hero!  I FINALLY mastered a gluten free pretzel bites recipe.  Woot!
For those just joining us, I became inspired by this recipe.  Since we have a child with celiac's disease in our family, I knew the regular recipe wasn't going to work for us, so I set out to make the recipe gluten free....I blogged about my fails HERE.
And now, onto the success!

This is a recipe I would use sometime when the kids and I are looking to make something together and we just want something a little fun.  That doesn't happen every week, but the kids had a good time with cutting out their shapes, and I had a good time knowing there really isn't much to dislike about this recipe. I used whole-grain flours, there is no oil, there is very little sugar....it's a great little snack, and easily dip-able, too!

YUMMIEST (GF) PRETZEL BITES

makes about 2 full sheets of pretzel bites

1 cup warm water

1 T. sugar

1 1/4 tsp. yeast

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cups millet flour

3/4 cups GF oat flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

2/3 cup almond flour (I've also used sweet sorghum)

2 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (or whatever 'binder' you use)

2 T. baking soda

2 cups hot water

coarse sea salt

*I mix my own flours as I go...use your own mixture if you have other favorite flours, but do NOT omit the starch or it will affect the rising!
*For GF baking by weight, consider 1 cup=140g.
*Don't want this gluten free?  Just leave out the xanthan gum and use the same amount of flour!


In a large measuring cup (I use my 4 cup glass measuring cup), add 1 cup very warm (not hot!) water and sugar.  Stir well to dissolve the sugar.  Add yeast and stir.  Cover with a tea towel and allow to begin rising (about 10-15 minutes).

While the yeast is rising, add flours and xanthan gum together in a large mixing bowl and whisk well (this is because I am a little lazy, and I don't sift my flours together.  Whisking them well works for me, and it saves the hassle.  If you sift, sift them now.)  Pour the yeast into the mixture and using a dough hook, allow the mixer to mix the dough.  NOTE:  you can't overmix GF dough the way you can with regular dough, so let that mixer MIX!  Give it a good couple of minutes before you mess with it (although you can scrape the sides here and there if you need to).  I have been guilty of under-mixing in the past (force of habit), and I was surprised the first time I really mixed it that it became much more smooth and behaved better.  The things you learn... ;)
When the dough is very well mixed, it should be soft/slightly sticky.  If it's seems too sticky, just flour your hands well and generously sprinkle it with flour as much as needed.  It may feel softer than gluten dough, and that's ok!  If it's well mixed it should behave similarly to gluten dough, although GF dough is always a little different.
Roll out on a well-floured surface (I did mine oh, about 1/4 thick, maybe a little thicker) and cut dough into desired shapes or roll and twist for pretzels.  Place on baking mats or parchment-lined cookie sheets.  Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place (I turned my empty oven on to 200, placed a pot of water in there and allowed it to preheat.  I then turned it off and let my dough rise in there.  Hey, however you let dough rise, it's fine with me ;) )  It takes time, but it does rise.  I gave mine about an hour (and good news!  If it doesn't rise as much as you want, they still taste great!)

Once they have risen, dip them into a baking soda solution of 2 cups warm water and 2 T. baking soda. Sprinkle with sea salt (we tried them both ways and you'll definitely want the salt sprinkles). Place bites back on the baking sheets and bake at 425 for 7-8 minutes, or until they are lightly browned.  They go fast, so keep an eye on them :) Eat warm!

These stayed good for about 2 days for us before they do what all soft pretzels do and got kind of dry.  Lucky for us, there weren't really any left :)

And there you have it!  A perfectly yummy, soft pretzel snack that everyone can enjoy!  Try them, and let me know what you think.  I'm always open for suggestions, and I'd love to hear about your results!  Who says GF can't be delicious?

Very Veggie Chili

With Sarah moving her family and all earthly belongings to a new house soon, you're probably going to get a lot of me for the next week or so (for that I am very sorry).  Sarah pretty much awes me with her ability to juggle large amounts of things, so she may pop up and post more than you would expect, but either way, she WILL be back, I promise.  In the meantime, I'll try to keep you busy so you forget that she's the interesting one and is occupied elsewhere ;)

One of the things my family has always loved is a good bowl of chili....chili with the cheese all melty, and the cornbread all YUM.
I'm making myself hungry.
This is my go-to recipe when I'm making chili.  It's been lovingly developed over time at my house, and as a matter of fact, we're having this for dinner again tonight.  Oh yes.
Not only do my sprouts ask for this recipe, it freezes well and is packed with veggies, so it really can be a complete meal in one bowl.  I highly suggest you get a very large pot, because I almost always double this and throw the extra in the freezer for a quick meal some other night.

VERY VEGGIE CHILI

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey, browned and drained

1 chopped onion

olive oil

1 T. minced garlic

2 cups cooked (or 1 can rinsed and drained) kidney beans or black beans

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cups organic frozen sweet corn

3 large carrots, chopped

2 cans petite diced tomatoes

2 cups water

 1 1/2 T. chili powder 

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp dried oregano 

2 tsp. salt

cheese for topping (skip if you need this dairy free, of course!)

Firstly, please note that all of these spices are 'to taste'.  Most of my kiddos like their chili mild, so we make this recipe and then daddy adds his spicy ingredients to his own bowl. These amounts will get you to where my family likes it--if you like it stronger, experiment until the taste is right for you! 

In a large stock pot, saute onions and garlic in a little olive oil over medium heat until onions begin to soften and turn clear.  (BTW, often I will throw my meat in there and brown it at the same time).
Add carrots, green peppers, corn, beans, tomatoes, and water into the pot.  Add spices and stir well to combine.  Bring to a boil and then simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and veggies are at desired tenderness  (I've simmered for as little as about 25-30 minutes, and I've simmered much longer according to my needs.  Don't forget to taste test for your spices!)  Serve hot, topped with cheese or sour cream.

NOTE:  This recipe can also be adapted for your slow cooker--throw your ingredients in and let it simmer in there instead!

One day soon I will share my GF cornbread recipe that we often eat with this chili.  Perfect for GF tummies AND regular tummies, too! :)

Frosty Banana 'Ice Cream'

This is the new 'special treat' kid on the block at our house.  I don't even know where the idea came from....a friend mentioned it, then another friend, then suddenly...it's all over the place!  Have you tried it?  It's

Frosty Banana Ice Cream!
Yum.

This mama recently has been experimentally dropping added sugar from her life, and though I don't have a problem with special treats here and there, I love that we can FEEL like we're eating a special treat and yet, we're still eating bananas!  I also love that my little one with lactose issues can enjoy a frozen treat just like the rest of us because this can be made completely dairy free (and it's gluten free, too!)  Here to help us with taste-testing today is my own Little Critter (he's not my sprout with lactose problems, but he WAS a big fan, by the way)!
Here's how you make it:

FROSTY BANANA 'ICE CREAM'

serves 4

6 frozen bananas, cut into chunks

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 T. cocoa powder

2/3 cup oat milk (or other milk--regular, almond, coconut...)

mini chocolate chips for garnish, if desired

variation: try without cocoa powder if you don't love chocolate, or add a good dollop of peanut butter for peanut butter banana!

Place chunks of frozen banana in a food processor.

Add vanilla, cocoa, and milk, and process until smooth.  

The 'ice cream' will have a 'soft serve' consistency.  Eat it immediately or stick it into the freezer for a little while to firm it up to your liking!

The taste test is in...Critter votes for MORE (He doesn't realize how much he has left on his face)!

And there you have it!  5 minutes, no added sugar (unless you throw in a few chocolate chips), and happy kids on a hot day.  WIN.