Springtime Smoothies

When the weather starts to warm up, it seems I can no longer bring myself to make hot cereal every morning, but neither do I want to eat processed cold cereal that my body will burn through in about an hour, leaving me hungrier than before. So as the spring greens and veggies start to come into season, I start working out my blender and trying some delicious smoothie recipes.

Ruby Red smoothie with beets, carrots and celery

The first breakfast smoothie I ever made was sometime back in the late 1980s. I got the recipe from an issue of Vogue or Cosmo. One banana, a cup of vanilla yogurt and a cup of orange juice. That was a very basic recipe, and although it was pretty tasty (and easy) I wouldn't make it now. Too much sugar--especially with the sweetened vanilla yogurt.

Today, I try to use more whole fruits and organic vegetables as close to in-season as I can. I love to slip in some fresh greens (baby kale mix, baby spinach, etc) but sometimes their color turns the smoothie a shade I call "Incdredible Hulky." They still taste pretty good, though, thanks to the ever-present banana and orange juice that help to sweeten the mix.

As a standard base, I start with one banana and about 1/2 cup of orange juice. The banana provides some body as well as sugar and the juice helps liquefy the rest of the smoothie. You could also use half a banana and any other kind of juice, or even a different kind of liquid, like a different juice or some variation of milk (cow, goat, coconut, almond, soy).

I usually use plain Greek yogurt for protein, as long as I have it on hand. You could also add a scoop of protein powder if you wish. I would recommend not using sweetened or flavored yogurt, even if it's sugar-free. If you are accustomed to the standard American diet that is packed with hidden sugars, these smoothies may initially seem rather tart, but rather than using a pre-sweetened packaged yogurt, try a plain yogurt and a little bit of honey so that you control how much sweetness you add. You can also skip the yogurt altogether if you don't have it, but to me, smoothies without yogurt seem thin and watery.

I have included a few basic recipes, ranging from a fruity flavor to more seriously veggie. You can always play with the fruit and vegetable combinations, and add honey or agave nectar for sweetness if you need it.

Basic smoothie 
1/2 cup frozen fruit (unsweetened strawberries, mangoes, blueberries, or a combination)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 banana
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 easy-peel mandarin oranges (peeled)
Place the frozen fruit and orange juice in the blender first. Pulse 3 times, then add the remaining ingredients. Pulse again, and then turn the blender on to the smoothie setting. Check the consistency, make sure everything is well blended, and enjoy.

Carrot-top
Use the basic smoothie recipe above, but add with the frozen fruit
1 full-sized organic carrot, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

Place the frozen fruit, carrot and orange juice in the blender first. Pulse 3 times, then add the remaining ingredients. Pulse again, and then turn the blender on to the smoothie setting. Check the consistency, make sure everything is well blended, and enjoy.

Incredible Hulk
Use the basic smoothie recipe above, but add with the frozen fruit
1 full-sized organic carrot, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
2 handfuls of organic greens (baby Kale mix, baby spinach)

Place the frozen fruit, carrot and orange juice in the blender first. Pulse 3 times, then add the remaining ingredients. Pulse again, and then turn the blender on to the smoothie setting. Check the consistency, make sure everything is well blended, and enjoy.

Ruby red
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
2 full-sized organic carrots, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 stalk organic celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 raw organic beet, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 banana
2 easy-peel mandarin oranges (peeled)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Place the frozen fruit, vegetables and orange juice in the blender first. Pulse 3 times, then add the remaining ingredients. Pulse again, and then turn the blender on to the smoothie setting. Check the consistency, make sure everything is well blended, and enjoy.

Gluten-free pancakes

Gluten-free pancakes with peanut butter and maple syrup

People who know my love for breakfast carbohydrates, and especially for post-dance pancakes, often ask which gluten-free pancake and waffle mix I use. My personal preference is to never use a GF mix if I can avoid it. They are rather expensive considering you only get one use out of them, and I feel like I have no control over the ingredients. I prefer to work with a GF flour blend and use a traditional pancake/waffle recipe.

When I do this, my favorite flour blend is Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose GF flour, because I feel that it substitutes fairly evenly for regular flour. Some of the other GF blends I’ve tried must have too much xanthan gum, because they get way too thick to pour, and I either have to remember to use less flour than the normal recipe calls for, or add more liquid at the end (which is undesirable because you are wasting the precious time during which the baking soda/powder is burning up its leavening action).

I have previously posted recipes for paleo pancakes and gluten-free waffles (which you can also use for pancakes), but here is another batter option.

This recipe serves two, and is what I prefer to use for late-night breakfasting. Sometimes I add in about a teaspoon unsweetened, dehydrated coconut for a more tropical flavor.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet

Blend together and set aside:

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Sprinkling of cinnamon

In a large bowl, beat

2 eggs

Blend in to eggs

2 tsp sugar, honey, or agave nectar

2 tbs melted butter, coconut oil or vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk (or a ½ cup plain yogurt + ½ cup milk)

¼ tsp gluten-free vanilla extract

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring just long enough to mix together. Bake on a lightly greased griddle at 375-degrees, or in a skillet over medium-low heat. Turn each cake once, when the bubbles that pop on the top no longer refill.

Top as desired. I like mine with sliced bananas, agave nectar and chopped pecans. Or as in the picture above, with peanut butter and pure maple syrup.

Gluten-free batter, mixed and ready to pour

The large bubbles on the surface will
stay open when the pancake is ready to flip

Finished gluten-free pancake

Luscious GF Quiche

Spinach, red pepper, onion and feta quiche

This is a luscious, crumbly-crust, whole-egg, cheesy and satisfying quiche that works great with a wide variety of fillings, is very forgiving of mistreatment, and can be cooked ahead of time. It's a nice dish to take for a lunch, brunch, breakfast or tea. It holds up relatively well, but the exposed parts of the crust will shatter easily, so pack it protectively in a pie box if you are taking it somewhere.

I strongly recommend using the food processor for this crust, but you can also use a pastry blender to cut in the fat.

For the crust
You can use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free pie crust mix OR, you can make your own pie crust with the following recipe (makes two pie crusts. If you are only making one quiche, halve the recipe).

2 1/2 cups white rice flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
15 tablespoons cold butter (that's two sticks minus one tablespoon). Cut each stick of butter into about 16 cubes

6 tablespoons ice water

In the bowl of a food processor with the cutting blade at the bottom, combine the rice flour, salt and butter cubes. Pulse about 10-15 times until the mixture takes on the texture of small pebbles or coarse sand.

Pour 6 tablespoons of ice water into the food processor bowl, one tablespoon at a time.

Pulse the mixture until it comes together in a ball.

Turn out the ball of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for half an hour.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. Shape each into a disk about five inches in diameter. Working with one disk at a time, place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out until it's about 10 inches in diameter, or large enough to cover your pie plate.

Peel off one sheet of plastic wrap, and place the dough exposed-side down in a pie plate. Remove the other sheet of plastic wrap and fit the crust into the pan. Flute the edges with your fingers. Prick the bottom of the crust about 15 times with a fork, and precook the crust in a 425F oven for about 15 minutes. (Note: I would ordinarily line the pie shells with tin foil and fill with pie weights or beans when I pre bake, but the foil tends to stick to a GF crust. If you do line the crust with foil, be sure to grease it first)

For the quiche
You can fill a quiche with just about anything, but below are a few suggestions. If you are using fresh vegetables, be sure to cook them first or they will shed their water into the egg mixture, preventing it from setting properly.

Lay the filling in the bottom of the crust, then pour the egg mixture on top.

• Spinach, red pepper, onion and feta cheese: Sautee one small diced onion and a small diced red pepper until the onions turn translucent. Add about 1 cup fresh chopped spinach and cook until the spinach wilts. Pour the vegetables into the bottom of the crust. Add about 1/8-1/4 cup feta cheese.



Ham & Cheese Quiche

• Ham and cheddar: dice about 1/3 cup ham and place in the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle on about 1/8-1/4 cup cheddar.

For the egg filling:

In a large bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 2 cups of milk (or half and half, or cream) and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the filling in the pie crust.

Bake

Pop the quiche into a 350F oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Gluten-free banana nut pancakes for one or two

Every once in a while, when we get the kids off to school, my hubby and I have a quiet morning in which we get to eat whatever we want. If I have a few bananas hanging around, I love to make these flourless banana-nut pancakes. They are pretty small, but the nuts make them rather filling.

One of two small pancakes

Notes:
Keep the skillet on medium-low heat. Because of the natural sugars from the banana and the coconut flour, the cake will brown quickly. If you use high heat, the exterior will burn before the inside sets.
Since these pancakes have no gluten or xanthan gum holding them together, they can be crumbly. Take care when flipping.
This recipe may be doubled if you have 2 bananas, or if you are very hungry.

Makes two pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
• 2 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill almond flour
• 1 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
• 1/8 tsp. gluten-free baking powder (omit this for a Paleo option)
• 1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or pecans



Mash the banana with a wire whisk

• coconut oil

Directions:
Mash in a small bowl
1 ripe banana

Separate one egg. Add the yolk to the mashed banana.
Put the egg white in the bowl of an electric mixer with the wire whisk blade attached.
Beat the egg white on high speed until soft peaks form.

Add to the banana-egg yolk mixture:

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form

1/4 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
2 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill almond flour
1 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
1/8 tsp. gluten-free baking powder (omit this for a Paleo option)
1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or pecans

Gently fold the egg white into the banana-egg-nut mixture with a rubber scraper, folding until the white is well incorporated. Do not overmix (that would deflate your egg whites)

Preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add and allow to melt:
1/4 tsp. coconut oil

Spread the batter around with a spatula

Pour 1/2 of the batter into the skillet. This batter is thick--you will have to spread it around with a rubber scraper to make a flat pancake shape.


Cook the pancake on medium-low heat until bubbles form in the top surface and do not immediately close up with batter, about 4 minutes per side. Gently flip the pancake with a spatula. As you start to slide the spatula under the cake, take a peek at the bottom side. It should be a rich dark brown before you attempt to flip.

Before cooking the second pancake, add another 1/4 tsp. coconut oil to the pan. It helps with flipping.

Top with pure maple syrup and enjoy immediately.

Homemade Gluten-Free Waffles

Waffles are a weekend tradition in my house. When I was growing up, we used to make pancakes every Sunday. I learned that recipe when I was seven years old. Many years later, my kids developed a preference for waffles, which are basically the same thing, but with syrup pockets. I have made waffles almost every weekend for probably 15 years.

After going gluten free, the thought of a waffle-less existence depressed me almost as much as a future without pizza. I experimented with many waffle and pancake recipes, but this one, a combination of techniques from two different versions of Joy of Cooking and The Wooden Spook Bread Book, is our hands-down favorite. It makes more than enough waffles for five hungry people.

Preheat a waffle iron. Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 ¾ cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour

¾ tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Separate 4 eggs.

Using the wire blade of an electric mixer, beat the four egg whites until soft peaks form.

Thoroughly blend in another large bowl

4 egg yolks

¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla

Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and blend, then gently fold in the egg whites. The batter should be thick but still pourable. If it is too thick and doughy, gently blend in milk to thin it to pouring consistency.

Follow your manufacturer’s instructions for the amount of batter to pour into the machine and baking time. For our one-at-a-time Cuisinart waffle iron, I pour about ½ cup of batter in a soup ladle, then spread the batter around with the back of the ladle before closing the lid.

We top our waffles with nut butter and pure maple syrup, but sliced bananas and pecans are yummy, too. The topping possibilities are endless!