Entries tagged with meal: snack

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Cheese Drop Savouries

Description: Sometimes I want a fast, simple and delicious treat, and these are a favourite. They're very tasty, muffin-like objects, but smaller, flatter, and a little crunchier. Simple to make and very moreish, good with soups or stews. If you make the simple ones with just cheese, no extras, they're also good with butter and jam, if you like cheese and jam. :)

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Servings: 9 small to medium savouries

( read more... )

Current Mood: full

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Pancake mix mug cake

This makes a fairly dense, substantial cake that is plenty for one person's breakfast, especially if you add sliced banana on top or scramble an egg on the side. For a shareable cake, double the ingredients, use a four-cup pitcher, and increase the microwave time to 3 minutes 15 seconds. I've tested this recipe with both GF Bisquick and Bob's Red Mill GF pancake mix, and it's worked great both times.

I highly recommend using maple sugar rather than white sugar. I haven't tried it with brown sugar but that would probably be good too.

For a vegan cake, omit the egg or replace with applesauce, and use maple sugar or another vegan sugar. Re the [whatever]-free tags, of course that will depend to some extent on the mix you choose, so shop carefully!

6 Tbsp gluten-free pancake mix
0 to 1.5 Tbsp sugar or maple sugar, depending on the mix and your sweet tooth
3 Tbsp oil
4 Tbsp milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy)
1 large egg
0.5 tsp vanilla
12 blueberries or 1 Tbsp raspberry jam

In a two-cup microwave-safe pitcher or large (at least 14 oz.) mug, mix the pancake mix and sugar with a wooden spoon. Add the oil, milk, egg, and vanilla, and beat well with the spoon. Mix in blueberries, or drop jam into the center of the batter. Microwave for 2 minutes or until fully cooked.

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Summer Time Fruit Soup (Pudding)

To maintain my berry-forward diet, I always have frozen blueberries and frozen cranberries on hand. This makes a nice snack or a light meal, for our August prompt of vegan-friendly.

For one serving

60g / 2/3 cup frozen cranberries
8g / 1 Tbs coconut flour
90g / scant cup frozen blueberries
30g / 1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, pepitas are all nice)

( make it so )

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Recipe: gluten free muesli bars

This is not actually a functional recipe, but they taste amazing. If anybody has any ideas on how to improve these, I'm all ears. More under the cut.

So I decided to make gluten-free muesli bars. I wanted them to be no-bake and I knew I wanted all my favourite things in it, but no recipe online had what I needed, so I just... Put Stuff In A Bowl, essentially.

Ingredients:
250g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
100g brazil nuts, chopped
150g 4 seed mix (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, golden flax)
100g dried cranberries
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup gf oats
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt
about 100g dark (70%) chocolate

( The rest of the recipe, commentary, and photos )

I also made my gluten-free crackers again and have updated the post.

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Recipe: gf crispbread/crackers

This is a recipe I modified from a non-gf recipe from a Danish food blogger, and then I halved it because the og recipe yielded about 30 crackers and I'm just one person and can't eat that many. It's my first time even attempting this kind of baking and I think my crackers came out ok. There are photos below the cut.

Yield: about 12

150g seeds
25g oats
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
115g gf flour
0,35 dl vegetable oil
1 dl water
rosemary to taste

( The rest of the recipe and photos )

( UPDATE )

( UPDATE 2 )

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recipes for GF flatbreads, crackers, etc.?

Hello fellow gluten-free people. I want to upgrade my baking skills. Right now that's taking me in the direction of gluten-free crackers, flatbreads, etc. So... can you recommend good recipes, preferably fairly easy ones? That use pre-blended GF flour as opposed to needing to blend different flours etc. to make your own? I would be so happy.

I have Googled for these already, so I guess what I'm looking for are your favorite ones available on the interwebz and/or any you got from a cookbook or from your own sweet brain. Thanks so much!

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Keto-Paleo Nut and Seed Granola

I try to eat keto-friendly foods although I don't stick to it closely these days as oatmeal's been an essential comfort during lockdown. But I prefer lower-carb options so this recipe looked interesting. It's said to be Paleo-friendly too (apparently vanilla's allowed!) although I don't bother with Paleo stuff myself. Anyway, I tried this and it worked very well and was excellent with yoghurt. Very tasty as a snack all by itself, too. I'll put non-keto options where those apply. Below is the version I made with what I had available, and I think this is a pretty forgiving recipe if you want to vary the ingredients.

( Read more... )

I didn't press the granola down in the pan as the original recipe said as I wanted it to be easy to crumble, and that worked well. The food processor made it easy, but if you use chopped or slivered nuts and don't mind a chunkier granola and some elbow grease with a big bowl and a wooden spoon, you can manage without that.

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Cheesy Potato Bites

I recently invented this recipe as I ran out of potatoes, and it's tasty - I've made it a couple of times now.

Ingredients:
1 cup potato flour
1 cup grated cheese (I use a tasty cheddar style of cheese)
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives or spring onions (or any onions)
1 egg (or you can use an egg-equivalent, like flaxseed, or just more liquid as below, to bind it)
salt and (ground black) pepper to taste
chilli sauce to taste (optional - I use about 1/2 tsp. Or you can add a little chilli powder and/or paprika)
a dash of cream, or milk, or water, for mixing

2 T oil for frying

( Read more... )

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Tamari Almonds

You can buy tamari almonds, but they cost a bit more than plain, raw almonds. So I sometimes make my own.

Ingredients
1kg whole almonds, not blanched
2-3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (depends how dark and strong it is)
1 tsp sugar or sweetener (optional but I think it adds something)

Method
In a big bowl, mix almonds with the tamari and sweetener until fully covered. I use my hands.
Spread on a baking tray covered with baking paper. They don't have to be just one layer, but not more than about two layers thick.
Bake in oven - timing will vary according to your oven. In my toaster oven they take about 20 min, medium setting.

Remove, mix, and allow to cool and dry fully, then store in a container. Best once cool as they'll be a bit soft when hot.

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Three Seeds plus Oats Make Delicious Norwegian Crispbread

These very crunchy crackers are made from sunflower, sesame and flax seeds, glued together with a little oil, honey, potato starch, rice bran, and water.

These are the neatest thing since, umm, sliced bread. They have actual flavor, the one thing missing from the last crackers I recommended.

MyGuy found them at Trader Joe’s, and I adore them. They work with my low-carb menus (just 3g net carbs for each cracker). They’re large enough to feel like an actual open-face sandwich. They’re sturdy enough to withstand toasting cheese on top.

Stock varies widely at TJs, so I tracked down their Norwegian manufacturer, SIGDAL BAKERI. Amazon sold me a case of 12 for US$77 — that’s $1.50 per cracker. While they were just as fresh as the TJ version, they’re shipped from Norway with no padding whatsoever. Each packet had at least one cracker shattered into more than 5 pieces. My local TJs charged $2.05 per cracker.

They’re clearly made by the same company, with subtle differences that I’m nerdy enough to detail behind the cut.

( details )

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Recipe: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These breakfast cookies are made with powdered peanut butter (also known as peanut flour) which makes them lower in fat than traditional peanut butter cookies. They're also hearty and delicious, with a firm, chewy texture. Or skip the oven and eat the dough raw.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups rolled oats or quick oats
3/4 cup powdered peanut butter, packed
2 tablespoons chia, hemp seeds, or flax meal
1/4 teaspoon fine salt, heaping
1/4 cup neutral flavored oil
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons water
2/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

( recipe )

Questions? Ask 'em!

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Recipe: Brown Butter Cardamom Banana Bread

A friend gave me this recipe from Milk Street Kitchen by Matthew Card and I converted it to gluten-free and dairy-free as noted. I think you could use any gluten-free flour mix. My conversions from grams to cups are generously rounded up or down for convenience. Tasty and unusual!

Note: Measuring the bananas in a 1-cup dry measuring cup was important; the difference in moisture between 4 small and 4 large bananas could throw off the balance of the ingredients.

2 cups (10 ounces) flour
- 1 1/4 cups (190 g) white rice flour
- 1/2 cup (50 g) sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup (30 g) tapioca starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
- Miyoko's Creamery cultured vegan butter
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 cups mashed banana (about 4 very ripe bananas)
3/4 cup packed (5 1/4 ounces) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white sugar (optional)

ETA: Can mix in 1/2 cup walnuts chopped small just before pouring batter into pan.

( Recipe )

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Oh, crackers...and a pate!

This isn't a spring or fall recipe, this is an anytime recipe. We've discussed all sorts of crackers; homemade and commercially available and sometimes you just need something to eat 'em with. This 'salmon pate" is for noshing. I can't remember when or where I acquired the recipe but it has been a favorite of mine for decades. I know it had a few more ingredients when I first started making it but I've forgotten what they were.

There are three things required:

8 ounces of cream cheese,
a 14 ounce can of canned pink salmon (I had Bumble Bee brand on hand)
and a food processor.

( Directions for making )

( Variations... )

I'm enjoying my crunchmaster crackers with this 'salmon pate'. I hope you enjoy it too.

Tabs

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Product Review: Larabar Original Fruit & Nut Bars

LÄRABAR Original Fruit & Nut Bars are gluten free, vegan, and kosher. Their products are clearly labeled, and their chocolate is vegan and doesn't contain soy. In fact, according to their FAQ, the bars don't contain any soy, though they don't claim to be soy free.

I found the fruit and nut bars to have a soft, pleasant texture. Pureed dates and chopped nuts are pressed into in a short, stout bar, and it's satisfying to bite into, easy to chew, and isn't sticky or tough or gritty. Depending on the flavor there might be a bit of crunch from the nuts or chocolate chips, or some chewiness from dried fruit, but the dates are mostly just the flavorless glue that holds everything together. I don't find these very sweet at all, not anything like biting straight into a date, which I did once and will not do again.

( Taste Test )

These are convenient and tasty (most of them) and cost about a buck a piece or less if you get them on sale.

Edited: The Larabar FAQ changed between me writing this, and me posting it, so I rewrote the opening paragraph to reflect those changes. Here's what it used to say.

And check out the comments for additional reviews from

indywind!

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Recipe: Tomato & Oregano Cassava Flour Crackers

These crisp but tender cassava flour crackers have a dry, powdery Cheez-It-esque nature that almost fools you into thinking there's cheese in there—an illusion helped along by their orangey color—but they're dairy free and vegan. They're also surprisingly easy to make and stay crisp for weeks.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (180g) cassava flour
1/4 cup (24g) golden flaxseed meal (optional)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 cup (108g) water
6 tablespoons (78g) olive oil
1 tablespoon (20g) tomato paste (optional)

( recipe )

Questions? Ask 'em!

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Product Review: That's It vs. Trader Joe's Fruit Bars

That's It fruit bars are just fruit with nothing added. They're vegan, paleo, kosher, and certified GF. From their FAQ:

All of That's It snacks are made in our own facility, which is free from peanuts, tree nuts (except for coconut), dairy products, eggs, soy, wheat, crustaceans, and fish.

Instead of a tough strip of dried fruit leather, this is a soft fruit bar, a mix of blended and minced fruit. It's tender and flexible with a soft and chewy texture that isn't so super sticky it welds your mouth shut. In fact these barely get stuck in my teeth at all. I like them for a sweet snack or a dessert. Where I shop they're sold individually, usually near the protein bars; though Target sells them in boxes.

( flavor rankings )

Trader Joe's makes a version of these bars that's also vegan and labeled Gluten Free, but the quality can be variable, with one bar being better (more tender and flavorful) than the next. They come in four flavors, and while I enjoy the Apple + Strawberry, the Apple + Mango is consistently inferior to the That's It bar. TJ's also has Apple + Coconut, and Apple + Banana.

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Product Review: RXBAR vs. EPIC

RXBAR Chocolate Sea Salt Protein Bar

Ingredients: Dates, Dried Egg Whites, Cashews, Almonds, Chocolate, Cocoa, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.

Thick, stubby, and dense. You can see salt crystals sprinkled on top. Bite into it and it's chewy, slightly sticky, tastes very vaguely of cocoa and caramel (that's probably the dates), gritty (also probably the dates?) with little crunches of salt and big chunks of almond. I could see the chocolate chunks, but couldn't really taste them so I ate one straight; they're 100% cacao, bitter and not too flavorful; the cashews get lost in all the commotion, some bites tasted of coconut which shouldn't be happening.

That wasn't exactly easy to eat, a lot of chewing, with a lot of stuff stuck in my teeth afterward, and a bitter coffee-like aftertaste from the chocolate. I don't feel like eating that again. There's nothing wrong with it; it's just not for me.

The bar in my hand is labeled gluten free and has no gluten, dairy, or soy ingredients, but it's manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, and wheat.

Now for the competition:

EPIC Almond Butter Chocolate Performance Bar

Ingredients: Dates, Egg Whites, Almonds, Unsweetened Chocolate, Sea Salt, Vanilla Extract.

Thick, stubby, and dense, but more tender than the RXBAR. Can taste coconut again, is that the dates? Can taste caramel again. The almonds are there, chopped in small pieces. The chocolate is not making itself known; it's in little chunks; you get occasional hints of its bitterness. This was chewy and stuck to my teeth but wasn't as gritty as the RXBAR. I could eat it again.

The bar in my hand is labeled gluten free, soy free, and non-GMO.

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Recipe: No Bake Lemon Protein Bites

I had some leftover dates and a dream, so I whipped these up. Tastes like a Larabar Lemon Bar, but better. Tastes like lemon candy. Low effort and based on these no bake lemon bliss balls.

Ingredients:

120 grams dates, pitted—I used deglet noor ~15 dates
1/2 cup raw nuts—something mild: almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
pinch of kosher salt

( recipe )

Questions? Ask 'em!

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Recipe: Oat Granola with Nuts and Fruit

This granola comes straight from America's Test Kitchen's How Can It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook. It's crunchy, not overly sweet, and it doesn't like to clump together. Good on yogurt or straight out of a bowl.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil (45 grams)
3 Tablespoons maple syrup (55 grams)
2 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar (35 grams)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups rolled oats (245 grams)
1 cup chopped nuts (115 grams)
1 cup dried fruit (optional)

( recipe )

Questions? Ask 'em!

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Recipe: No Bake Orange Zest Brownie Bites

I needed a recipe to go with our current theme of Recipes For Small Appliances, so I cracked open Sweets in the Raw from Laura Marquis and found my bookmark at these Orange Zest Brownie Bites. Orange and chocolate? Past me knew what she was doing.

So I whipped up a batch, and they smelled great and tasted as good as they smelled, with the sweet orange and vanilla right up front, and the earthy cacao and walnuts bringing up the rear. No oven required.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw walnuts (100 grams)
1 1/3 cup deglet noor or medjool dates, pitted (200 grams)
1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder (25 grams)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp fine salt
zest from one orange ~1 Tablespoon
juice from 1/2 orange ~1/4 cup

( recipe )

Questions? Ask 'em!