Holiday Treat #6: Chocolate Hazelnut Snowballs

This recipe is part of this year's Holiday Treat Extravaganza!  To see all the recipes, click on the page tab of the same name located at the top of the blog.  To submit a recipe or a request, send a message to celiacbaby@hotmail.com.

Lisa at Pocketfuls sent me a recipe for no bake chocolate hazelnut snowballs to add to the Holiday Treat Extravaganza.  With just five ingredients and free from gluten, dairy, refined sugar, and eggs, my interest was piqued immediately.  I love my traditional baked goods, but when someone sends me a recipe that's easy to prepare and quite healthy too, I'm extra happy.  These are divine!

No Bake Chocolate Hazelnut Snowballs

Ingredients
***Mini cupcake wrappers for serving
Yield: Approx. 4 dozen balls

1 500g jar of natural hazelnut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup finely chopped raw hazelnuts
unsweetened shredded coconut for coating the snowballs (I used approx. 1 cup, but amount will vary)


Directions

1- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except coconut until well mixed.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set. 

2- Using a spoon or your hands, roll mixture into bite sized balls.  Roll each ball in coconut to cover, and place in mini cupcake liner.






That's it!  These were a breeze to make, and my husband kept stealing them as I was making them, so they passed the delicious test at my house!  

Keep snowballs refrigerated.  They should be served chilled. 

To see more of Lisa's healthy, delicious recipes, visit her site at pocketfuls.ca.  Thanks again, Lisa, for sharing such a great recipe. 

Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan

Monday: Steamed Salmon and Carrots with Greens 
(I use my steamer for this, and place the veggies on one level & the salmon on another.  Add water, lid, and wait until done.)

Tuesday: Baked Chicken Drumsticks  & Twice Baked Potatoes with Cheddar 

Wednesday: Eggplant Parmigiana (I'll serve this over a GF pasta to catch all the sauce)

Thursday: Chicken Tacos  with Jalapeños, Cheddar and Avocado
(The kid will be spared the jalapeño!)

Friday: Cabbage Rolls 

Holiday Treat #5: Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies

This recipe is part of this year's Holiday Treat Extravaganza!  To see all the recipes, click on the page tab of the same name located at the top of the blog.  To submit a recipe or a request, send a message to celiacbaby@hotmail.com.

Shortbread is one of those iconic holiday cookies that everyone loves to eat.  It was also one of the first recipes that I converted to gluten free once my son was taken off gluten.  There are many ways to prepare shortbread, and everyone has their favourites.  I like mine cut into thicker bars, while my mom makes hers thinner and cut into triangular wedges.  It's also possible to create round or shaped shortbread cookies.

 

This recipe makes approx. 12 shortbread bars about 1/4-1/2 inch thick, or about 24 thinner bars or cookies.  The cooking time will vary.  For thicker bars, cook for approx. 45-50 min.  For cookies, 40 min. is about right.  Check periodically.  They are ready when edges begin to brown.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour (not baking mix)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I like my cookies really vanilla-y, so I use 2)
3/4 cup butter (I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks.  If using unsalted regular butter, add a pinch of kosher salt to recipe.)

 

Directions
Preheat oven to 300F.  I use an 8x8 non-stick brownie pan with edges.  My mom uses a cake pan. 

1- Mix rice flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder and xanthan gum in a bowl.  Stir until completely mixed.

2- In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla (and salt, if adding).

3- Add dry mix to butter and sugar in small batches, mixing as you go.  Mix until completely incorporated.  It should form a ball if pressed together, but it won't automatically make a dough while mixing.

4- Gather into a ball, kneading just long enough for the dough to stick together.  Press dough into baking pan until it is evenly distributed and pushed right into the sides.  The photo shows how crumbly the dough can be, but when pressed together it should hold.     

5- Cut into desired bar sizes, and prick holes into each bar with a fork.  Chill for 10 minutes before placing in oven to bake.  It's important to cut into bars before cooking to reduce the risk of crumbling after baked.   * See below for cookie cutter instructions.




6- Place into preheated oven uncovered.  For baking times, see above.


7- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.  Run a knife along pre-cut edges and where the bars were cut pre-baking and then allow to cool completely before removing from pan.

*If making cookies with a cookie cutter, place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap.  Roll out dough and use cookie cutters to create desired shapes.  Place cookies on a cookie sheet, and check cookies after 25-30 minutes.  

If you want them a little less dry, they could probably handle up to another 1/4 cup of butter.  I like mine borderline dry but not crumbly, so 3/4 cup works for me.




This year I dipped my cookies in melted chocolate

Holiday Treat #4: No Bake Snow Covered Haystacks

This recipe comes from my mom, who has been making these kid friendly treats with her children, and now with her grandchildren, every Christmas since I can remember.  Typically we would make them in advance and freeze them for whenever we had visitors over the holidays.  They're easy to make, although your hands will probably get dirty.  Kids love to help, because they don't have to be perfect, and it's fun to sneak marshmallows when no one is looking. 


Snow Covered Haystacks

Ingredients

1 (4oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. milk
2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp. unsweetened chocolate baking liquid or two squares, melted (check for gluten)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (use real vanilla, artificial ones can contain gluten)
3 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup (with more on hand) grated or shredded coconut


Directions

1- Line a baking sheet with wax paper.  In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk together until smooth.   Add in chocolate syrup or melted chocolate and stir to incorporate. (Chocolate can be melted in the microwave in a glass or ceramic bowl, in one minute increments.)

2- Add in marshmallows, and mix until entirely coated with cream cheese mixture.

3- Using a tablespoon or a melon baller, scoop out small balls of marshmallow mixture, forming a haystack.  Roll the mixture in the coconut to cover, and then place on lined cookie sheet. 





4- Place baking sheet in the fridge to allow haystacks to set.  Use shredded coconut if you want the mixture completely covered.  Use a finer grated coconut if you want some of the "hay" to show through.  These freeze really well, and will keep in the fridge. 

Wordless Wednesday

Look who arrived at our house

 

Holiday Treat #3 Gluten Free Sugar Cookies & Glaze

I first posted this recipe last year at Christmas, but since sugar cookies are such an iconic Christmas treat, I thought it was only fitting to include it again in this year's holiday treat extravaganza.  I've updated the recipe and added photos of the process.  I've also included the recipe for the cookie glaze, which is simple to prepare.  Store bought cookie icing works great too, especially for adding sprinkles. 

 

Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Recipe   
Makes approximately 48 cookies

Ingredients
2 cups white rice flour    
1/2 cup gluten free all-purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 cup butter (I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks).  Should be at room temperature.  
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature).  You can use just the yolks if you prefer, but I use the whole egg.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
 1/4 tsp. salt

 

 

 

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F only after refrigeration of dough is
complete.

1- In a mixing bowl, stir together white rice flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.  Put aside.   

2- In a separate mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add in eggs and vanilla extract and beat until mixed through.   






3- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and beat until mixture is smooth.  This can be done with a mixer, but I just did it by hand.

4- When thoroughly combined, roll dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.  I made half a batch of cookies after one hour in the fridge, and the other half after refrigerating overnight.  The cookies turned out roughly the same, but the dough was much easier to work with after being chilled overnight.   

5- Lightly flour the counter, and place a piece of plastic wrap over the dough to roll it out.  Roll the dough to desired thickness.  For crispy cookies, roll quite thin, and for chewier ones roll thicker.  They will rise a bit, but not too much.  Cut into desired shapes or roll into balls and flatten.  

To cut perfectly round cookies, roll dough into a log before refrigerating and then just cut into rounds when ready to bake.   







6- Place on a greased cookie sheet and place in oven for 6-8 minutes.  Take out when edges begin to brown.  





7- Place on a cooling rack and gently life bottoms from cookie sheet, then allow to cool completely before decorating.  Decorate with icing and sprinkles, or eat plain.
These cookies will hold their shape well and don't crumble.  To change the flavour, substitute a different extract for the vanilla extract.

 

 



 

Simple Cookie Glaze

This glaze only has three ingredients, and is really easy to make.  The only part to pay attention to is the consistency.  The glaze should be thick enough to work with and not drip everywhere, but thin enough to drip from a spoon.  For a flavoured glaze, add a few drops of extract: vanilla, almond, lemon, mint, or try a bit of liqueur to taste.  The glaze can also be coloured using a few drops of food colouring.  I suggest making the glaze first, and then mix a bit of food colouring in last.

Ingredients

1 cup confectioner's sugar (check that brand is GF)
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon corn syrup (I used dark, but use light if you want to avoid darkening the glaze.)

Directions

1- Add the ingredients to a glass bowl and stir until the mixture is smooth using a spoon.  It should be thick, but not so thick that it can't run from a spoon in one smooth motion.
Done. 

If using different coloured food colouring, separate the glaze into small glass or ceramic bowls before adding different colours.  To glaze the cookies, spoon the glaze into an icing bag (or a small re-sealable bag with a corner cut off) and outline the cookies first, filling in the middle later with glaze.

Allow the glaze to dry completely before stacking cookies.  It won't dry rock hard like cookie icing, so be gentle.  If you press too hard on the glaze, it will indent under the pressure.




  

Two Years of Blogging

Happy Birthday Celiac Baby! 

I started this blog two years ago, shortly after finally figuring out that my son's health issues all revolved around gluten.  I had never considered blogging before.  The idea of letting total strangers into my personal life seemed weird to me, and to be honest, I didn't think anyone would be interested.  Deciding to blog came about as a result of feeling confused and worried about my son's future and not knowing exactly where to start when it came to feeding him and ensuring his safety when eating both at home and elsewhere. 

I realised that there had to be other people out there sorting through the same issues, and I wanted to connect with them.  I was interested in reading the stories of others, getting tips, and asking questions of people who understood and had great advice to offer.  Two years ago I didn't fall into the category of people with experience and resources at the ready.  What I had was a very sick little boy (not yet 2 years old) who didn't understand what was wrong with him and a mother who was terrified that she wouldn't be able to provide him with a normal childhood because of his illness.

Post-Thanksgiving Dinner. He looked like this after most meals

Swollen, stuffed sinuses, incessant drooling even as a toddler.  This picture still makes me cry.

I felt at the time that my contribution would be simply sharing our experiences and struggles in the hopes that others would be able to learn from my mistakes and perhaps share some of their own wisdom with me.  I wanted to connect with people of all ages, but especially with people who had children with Celiac disease, wheat allergies or gluten intolerance/sensitivity, because most resources that I came across were aimed at adults.  I also hoped that as I figured things out, I would be able to expand my posts from general stories about how we're coping to include resources such as products, recipes, tips, and reviews to help my readers improve their quality of life and make gluten free living easier for them.

Two years later,  I still feel like I have a lot to learn, but I also feel as though I have more to offer.

Much healthier and happier, two years later!

I've made changes to the blog over time, adding pages and features that I hope are useful to you, my readers.  I started the Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan because I found myself making the same dishes over and over, and I didn't want that to become our new reality.  There are now two years' worth of weeknight meal ideas on the Menu Plan page.  Product and Restaurant Reviews are posted to give people an idea about how my family experienced something, so that they can then decide if it's something or somewhere that they want to try for themselves.  The Recipe Page was created to help people put together simple and delicious meals for themselves and their families.

As I became more comfortable with social media, I created a twitter account, @CeliacBaby.  I'm enjoying connecting with people in real time.  I have not yet created a Celiac Baby Facebook page, although I have been getting several questions about the possibility of one in the future.  I've not decided yet.  I'll let you know when I do! 

One avenue I have decided to explore is Pinterest.  Over the past month or so I've spent some time investigating how Celiac Baby! Pinterest boards could be of value to my readers.  I've no interest in opening accounts simply because a new site is popular, but Pinterest seems to be a great resource for those looking for inspiration and information.  I'll be spending some time over the holidays preparing board ideas and I'll be sure and let you know once I get one up and running.  I hope that you'll find that it complements what I've been doing on the blog.

So where does Celiac Baby! go from here?

Where do I begin?  Aside from expanding into Pinterest, I have some great ideas for the blog that I can't wait to get up and running.  I'm still ironing out a few details, but I can share some things.

1- Starting in January, I'll be writing a monthly gluten free cookbook review.  I only reviewed two cookbooks this year, mainly because I was pregnant and nauseous for a  good part of the year, and it wouldn't have been fair to be reviewing books when I could barely stomach most foods.  Since I'm no longer pregnant, it's time to begin again.  Have a recommendation?  Have you written a cookbook and are looking for a reviewer?  Send me a message at celiacbaby@hotmail.com or @CeliacBaby on twitter and I'll get back to you.

2- More Recipes!:  I'm pretty good about getting the menu plan up, but not so great about getting those meal ideas translated into recipes for my readers.  Mainly that's because with the exception of baking, I do a lot of my cooking by "feel", throwing together ingredients and tweaking quantities as I go.  I plan on fixing that in the new year.  Whether this will be in the form of a "recipe of the week" or in some other way, I haven't yet decided.  But I do know that I plan on my recipe page being much fuller by this time next year.  Again, message me with your requests or if you'd like to see your recipe featured on the blog.

3- Tips and Tricks:  Sometimes all we need is the answer to a simple "How do I" type question.  I often write posts about little things I come across, but those posts are not always easy to find, especially when you aren't quite sure what you're looking for in the first place.  A section with simple, quick bits of information to make going gluten free easier will be incorporated into the blog in the new year. 

4- Much, Much More!!! 

I have so many great ideas that I want to add to the blog, that I have to pace myself.  The ones mentioned above are what I'm currently focusing on, but I have others that I'm working on in the background, to be rolled out when I have the time to dedicate to them that they deserve.  I hope that next year I can continue to expand and reach people looking to connect with others living a gluten free lifestyle.  I hope that I can continue to help and inspire those of you who already read and support me here at Celiac Baby! 

Mostly, though, I want to offer my thanks. 

Thank you for reading and sharing what you find on the blog.  Thank you for communicating with me on the blog and on twitter.  Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read my posts.

 I have enjoyed every second of writing this blog, and I look forward to what the new year (both on the blog and on the calendar) brings! 

Holiday Treat #2: Marshmallow Pops

This recipe is a great one to do with kids, and can be modified to be casual and fun or as sophisticated as you want.  We do variations on this theme for every major holiday, but they are especially festive this time of year.   Set up everything before melting the chocolate or candy coating to facilitate the process.


Some tips before making:

1- Lollipop or cake pop sticks can be purchased at stores like Bulk Barn or Michael's.  They are inexpensive.  If you don't want to buy sticks, these can be displayed in mini cupcake holders or on a pretty plate or tray.  The larger the marshmallow, the easier to handle.

2- If you are not using sticks, consider just dipping the top of the marshmallow to make them easier to handle.  If you are using sticks, you will need a place to stand them to dry.  I bought a cardboard cake pop drying stand for less than $5 at Bulk Barn to stand them in while drying, but a piece of foam that is used for arranging flowers works too. 

3- A small amount of candy or chocolate coating goes a long way.  You can dip marshmallow directly in melted coating, or use a spoon to drizzle.  Experiment with a few and decide what works for you.  I set up the sprinkles or sugar in cupcake holders to make it easy to roll marshmallows..

4- The ingredient list is pretty ambiguous because it will depend on what you choose to use, whether you are completely coating the marshmallows and the size of marshmallows you choose. 


Ingredients:

24 marshmallows (I usually make 2 dozen at a time, but make as many as you want )
1 cup melted chocolate (1 bar) or candy coating (if you are using different colours, consider working with one at a time so that they don't begin to harden.)

Assorted toppings such as coarse sugar, sprinkles, crushed candy canes.  The smaller the sprinkles, etc., the better they stick.  Larger heavy ones tend to drip off.  Also, coloured sugars show up better against white chocolate.

***Be sure to read ingredients and make sure that everything you use is gluten free.  Beware when buying in bulk from bins.  Cross-contamination occurs easily in these environments.

Directions:

1- Melt chocolate or candy coating according to directions.  I melt chocolate in a glass or ceramic bowl in the microwave in 1 minute increments, stirring after each minute until completely melted.

2- Skewer marshmallow in lollipop stick, or on toothpick if not making pops.  Dip marshmallow in coating, and then in desired additional decoration, such as sprinkles or coarse coloured sugar. 

4- Stand to allow excess to drip off and allow to dry.






Storage:  Once dry, store in the fridge in sealed freezer bags.   They will last up to two weeks in the fridge.  They will last a few months if frozen.

Enjoy!







Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan

This week I was pressed for time.  I have a feeling that most of December might be this way.  The result?  Five weeknight meals that each took less than 30 minutes to prepare, yet are great dishes that taste fantastic.  Here's to simplicity in cooking!

Monday: Cobb Style Salad with Turkey, Tomato, Avocado, Egg & Blue Cheese 

Tuesday: Coconut Chicken & Lime Soup

Wednesday:  Gluten Free Creamy Artichoke & Spinach Pasta






 

Thursday: 5 Ingredient, 15 minute Chorizo & Chickpea Soup &amp

Friday: Coconut Sesame Chicken Strips & Quinoa Salad 

Holiday Treat #1: No Bake Peppermint Bark

Sometimes I like to make holiday treats that don't require the use of the oven.  Something that's easy to put together and requires little skill so that my son can help me in the kitchen.  This recipe fits the bill.  It doesn't require any special skill set, and it's perfect in its imperfection.  When choosing chocolate, check the ingredients for added wheat.  Not all brands of chocolate are gluten free.  If dairy is a problem, find a dairy free dark chocolate, double the amount and omit the white.

Ingredients

300 g dark chocolate (one large chocolate bar)
300 g white chocolate
3-4 crushed candy canes (I break them in a few pieces, place in a re-sealable bag, and pound with the flat of a knife or a rolling pin)

Directions

1- Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.  Break the dark chocolate into pieces and place in a glass or ceramic bowl.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Remove bowl, stir and return to microwave.  Continue in 1 minute increments until melted.  This should only take 2-3 minutes total. 

2- Pour melted chocolate onto wax paper lined cookie sheet, smoothing it out to reach the edges.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  Place in the refrigerator until firm, around 20 minutes. 

3- Once the dark chocolate has set, repeat the melting process for the white chocolate.  Remove the dark chocolate from the fridge and pour the white chocolate over top, spreading it out with a flexible spatula.  The dark chocolate will begin to melt under the heat of the white, so try to work quickly to maintain the difference in layers.   Immediately sprinkle crushed candy canes into white chocolate.  Place in refrigerator to set.

4- Once hardened (another 20-30 min) remove from fridge and lift bark from wax paper.  Break into pieces and serve.

*** I like the look of larger pieces of candy canes, but if you're serving this to children, the smaller the pieces, the better.  bigger pieces are harder to bite into for little teeth.

Storage:  Place in an airtight  freezer bag with waxed paper separating the layers (no more than two layers per bag).  Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and in the freezer for a few months.


Don't like peppermint? 

No problem.

This recipe is easy to modify.  Here are a few of my favourites:

1-  Use different flavoured candy canes or hard candies, such as butterscotch.  Just make sure that you are choosing ones that are gluten free.

2- For a more sophisticated bark, omit the hard candy and replace with dried cranberries and pistachios

3- Add dried blueberries or cherries and cut into bars or squares.

4- Use only dark chocolate and drizzle melted caramel over it and sprinkle with coarse salt.