Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Allergy Free Pumpkin Pie


What are the Holidays without pie?!!

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups mixed GF flour (I used all purpose, coconut flour and rice flour)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 sticks cold butter
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBSP ice water

Combine flours and salt in a food processor - pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until the mixture looks like small peas. Add 1 TBSP of water at a time and pulse; continue just until the dough starts to hold together. Split in half and form into 2 balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate about 15-20 minutes.

Place one cold dough ball between 2 pieces of cling wrap. Roll out with a rolling pin. Take off the top piece of plastic and roll the flattened dough around your rolling pin and transfer to a pie plate. Fold under the edges and flute with finger tips.

Preheat oven to 425

For the filling:
1 can pumpkin puree or 1 1/2 cups baked & pureed pie pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar or 1/2 cup crystalline fructose or honey (more if you like a very sweet pie)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
5 TBSP corn starch
3 TBSP ground chia or flax seed
1/2-3/4 cup So Delicious coconut milk or Almond milk

In a small bowl combine sugar and spices. In a large bowl combine milk, ground chia seed and cornstarch; whisking until well combined. Add pumpkin and sugar/spice mixture. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool and top with coconut ice cream or coconut whipped cream.

COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
The closest allergy free whipped cream I have found to the real thing.
You will need:
1 can full fat coconut milk (not the Lite)
*2-3 TBSP powdered sugar (optional)
*1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Refrigerate the unopened can of coconut milk overnight along with a metal bowl.
Open the can and spoon out the firm white layer on the top into your chilled bowl, avoiding any of the liquid at the bottom. Add sugar and cinnamon and bet with an electric beater on medium speed until it become smooth and fluffy. It can be refrigerated but will lose some of it's fluffiness so it's best to eat it right away.

Spicy Chicken & Mushrooms


Ingredients:
3 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic - minced
1-2 TBSP fresh ginger - minced
2 cups mushrooms - sliced (i used button mushrooms and a portabella)
1/2 cup scallions - sliced
1 cup chicken stock
2 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP rice vinegar
1/2 cup cilantro - chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, scallions, red pepper flakes and 1/3 of the stock; cook 3 minutes, stirring often.

Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture and stir until combined. Add chicken, salt, pepper and the rest of the chicken stock. Cook, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through.

Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar and cilantro. Cook 1 minute. Serve over rice or potatoes!

**Allergy-free substitutions:
Flour - all purpose gluten-free flour
Garlic -omit
Soy Sauce - tamari or GF soy sauce of choice

Nutty Rice


Ingredients:
1 cup basmati or wild rice
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 bunch parsley or cilantro
2 cloves garlic
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 medium cucumber - diced
salt and pepper to taste.

Cook rice according to directions. When it is done cooking, remove from heat and let cool.
In a food processor, combine parsley/cilantro, almonds and garlic - pulse until finely chopped. Add to cooled rice along with olive oil, lemon juice, cucumber and salt and pepper.